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23  WEST  MAIN  STHIT 

WEBSTE«,N.Y.  )45W 

,716)  872-4903 


'# 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiquas 


\ 


Technical  and  BibHographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibliographiquas 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  avaiiabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  baiow. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  do  couleur 


I      I    Cowers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommagtke 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  at/ou  pellicula 


pn    Cover  title  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  mapa/ 
Cartea  gAographiquas  en  couleur 


D 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  couleur  <i.o.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noirel 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Planchca  at/ou  illuatrations  en  couleur 


Bound  with  other  matsrial/ 
Rail*  avec  d'autrea  documents 


Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  sarrie  peut  causer  da  i'ombre  ou  de  la 
distorsion  le  long  da  la  marge  int4»rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  tho  text.  Whenever  possible,  thise 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainaa  pagea  blanches  ajoutiaa 
lors  d'una  restauration  apparaissent  dana  la  texte. 
mais,  lorsque  ceia  itait  possible,  ces  pages  n  ont 
pas  AtA  filmAes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires; 


L'Institut  a  microfilmri  lo  meilleur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  txi  possible  de  se  procurer.  Las  dditails 
de  cet  sxemplaire  (;jui  sont  paut-itre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliofiraphlque.  qui  pauvent  modifier 
una  image  raproduite,  ou  qui  pauvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mAthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dassous. 


r~~1   Coloured  pages/ 


Pagea  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restauries  at/ou  pelliculAes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^colories,  tacheties  ou  piquies 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  dAtashies 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualiti  InAgala  de  {'impression 

Includes  supplementary  matarit 
Comprend  du  matiriei  supplimentaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  idition  disponible 


r~n   Pages  damaged/ 

r~"|    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


I      I  Pages  detached/ 

r~1  Showthrough/ 

(~n  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

r~~|  Includes  supplementary  material/ 

j      I  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Las  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'arrata.  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6ti  filmies  i  nouveau  de  faqon  i 
obtanir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqu4  ci-dessous. 


10X 


14X 


18X 


22X 


26X 


30X 


■■™" 

"^ 

y 

1 

u 

12X                             16X                             20X                             24X                             28X                             32X 

Th«  copy  filmed  H«r«  haa  b««n  raproducad  thanks 
to  tha  ganarosity  of. 

Seminary  of  Quebec 
Library 


L'axamplaira  film4  fut  raproduit  grAca  i  la 
ginArositi  d^: 

SAminaire  de  Quebec 
BibliotMque 


Tha  Imagaa  appaarinci  hara  ara  tha  lK>at  quality 
possib.a  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  origiMii  copy  and  in  Icaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacifications. 


Original  eopiaa  in  printaf"  papar  oovara  ara  filmad 
bagitining  with  tha  front  eovar  and  anding  on 
tha  laac  paga  with  c  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa> 
•ion,  or  tha  bacic  covar  whan  appropriata.  All 
othar  original  eopiaa  aro  filmad  baginning  on  tho 
firat  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
•ion.  and  anding  on  tha  last  paga  with  a  printad 
or  Illuatratad  imprMaion. 


Tha  laat  racordad  frama  on  aaeh  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  symbol  — ^^  (maaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  ▼  (maaning  "END"), 
whichavar  appliaa. 


Laa  imagaa  suh^antaa  ont  4t«  raproduitaa  avac  la 
piua  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  ia  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
eonformit*  avac  I«m  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fllmaga. 

Laa  axamplalraa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  9n 
papiar  aat  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  comman^nt 
par  la  pramiar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'lmpraaaion  ou  d'iiltjstration.  soit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  salon  la  eas.  Tous  laa  autraa  axamplairas 
originaux  sont  filmte  an  commandant  par  la 
pramMra  paga  qui  comports  unm  amprainta 
d'lmpraaaion  ou  d'iilustration  «t  9n  tarminant  par 
la  dami^ra  paga  qui  comports  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symboiaa  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
damiAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha.  salon  la 
eaa:  la  symbols  -«-  signifia  "A  SUIVRE".  la 
aymbola  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 


Mapa,  platfw.  charts,  ate.  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffaram  raduction  ratioa.  Thoaa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraiy  includad  in  ona  axpoaura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  comar.  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottoi.".  aa  many  framaa  aa 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrama  illuatrata  tha 
mathod: 


Laa  eartaa,  planchaa,  tsblaaux.  ate.  pauvant  itra 
fiimAa  i  daa  taux  d«  reduction  diff^ants. 
Lorsqua  ki  desumant  ast  trop  grand  pour  itra 
raproduit  an  un  muI  ciiehA,  il  aat  filmA  A  partir 
da  I'angia  supMaur  gaucha.  da  gaucha  k  droita. 
at  da  haut  an  ba6,  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagaa  n4cassaira.  Laa  diagrammaa  suivants 
iilustrant  la  m^thoda. 


1 

2 

3 

1 


6 


^^mmmmmmmmmmmmm 


1    r 


EDWAUD  IIENBY  KIAVFLL. 


THE 


MIM 


'.iY  OF  Maine 


'i    it'' 


?  T   aoIIX  S.    r.    ADBOTT 

Ni'   IHl.:  CIIAI'TKUS  OF  NXW  MaTTEK  AT>nED  HI 

i  •  ''V.\KD  H.   KLWEIJ, 


">'•    :i>nioN,    .in,!  viij.vTii 


*rC.U8T,4,    llAISE 

PTJHI.fSffK))   Hm  E.    E.   KNOWLl-.S  A  CO. 
liY  BUOVV.N   'liirnSTOK  C',>MPANY 


KS^'HAHl)    lUMn     1 


THE 


t 


History  of  Maine 


BY  JOHN  S.   C,  ABBOTT 

BKVISED  XHHOCOHOUX  AND  FIVE  CHAPTEHfl  OF  NEW  MATTER  AODED  Bl 

EDWARD  H.  ELWELL 

LATE  EDITOR   OF  THE  FORTLAND  THANflCRIFT 


ii'M 


SECOND   EDITION,     ILLUSTRATED 


AUGUSTA,  MAINE 

PUBLISHED  FOR  E.   E.   KNOWLES  &  CO. 

BY  BROWN  THURSTON  COMPANY 

UQ2 


1  t 


u 


^1 


^ 


lf6 


COPVHIGrixED  1893  Br 

BROWX  THURSTON  COMPAUr 


35100 


97f/ 


BROWN  THURSTON  COMPANT 

KLKCTROTVPERS  AND  PRINTERS 


PUBLISHERS'  NOTICE. 


It  18  seventeen  years  since  the  History  of  Maine  was 
published,  and  more  than  twelve  years  it  has  been  out  of 
print,  making  it  highly  desirable  that  the  growing  inter- 
ests of  the  state  should  be  placed  before  the  people. 

This  edition  has  been  under  the  careful  supervision  of 
Mr.  Edward  H.  Elwell,  than  whom  no  man  in  the  state 
was  better  fitted  for  the  task.  Ho  had  long  been  editor 
of  the  Portland  Transcript,  and  was  a  critical  observer 
of  the  topography,  material,  educational  and  political 
condition  of  Maine.  Every  page  has  been  carefully 
scrutinized,  corrections  and  additions  made,  and  five  new 
chapters  added  upon  subjects  not  treated  upon  in  the  first 
edition. 

Kesources  and  Industries, 

Morals  and   Religion, 
Population, 

Education, 

Politics. 
The  death  of  Mr.  Elwell,  shortly  after  completing  this 
work  is  a  loss  and  bereavement  to  every  intelligent  citL 
zen  of  Maine. 

POHT...VB,  1892.  ^'^'"'  T«''«STON  Company. 


pm 


PREFACE. 

Maine  is  the  native  state  of  the  writer  of  this  volume.  Seventy 
years  ago.  m  the  year  1805.  he  was  born  in  Brunswick,  withm  sound 
of  the  roar  of  the  falls  of  the  Androsoo</gia 

His  childhood  was  spent  in  IlalloweU.  then  a  small  but  thriving 
hamlet  upon  he  banks  of  the  Kennebec.  In  the  halls  of  Bowdoin 
he  received  his  collegiate  education. 

In  his  maturer  years  he  ever  repaired,  for  recreation,  to  the  paren- 
oll7Jry%!r "'''''' ''''''  '''''''''  and  luxuriant  Llley 
In   Maine  he  f6und  the  cradle  of  his  infancy.     There  are  the 
riZufe      Tf     "•    ,^^-^f.«f  ^-h-«Pentthe  happTest  ye 
b  Jh  J    T^  *  biographical  sketch  of  his  nati.e  state,  of  its 

birth,  growth  and  maturity,  has  been  'vith  him  a  labor  of  love 

It  IS  not  the  object  of  this  history  to  search  out  discoveries  which 
have  hitherto  eluded  the  scruti^iy  of  antiquarians,  or  to  settlldi^ 
put^d^^i^tions  which  have  arisen  in  referee  to  JZt^t 

He  wishes  to  give  a  faithful  and  graphic  record  of  the  wondrous 

r-'     r.  *  '■''"■.^.  "'  ^'"  ""'  ^^^^  ^'^^  ^^'^^^^^  at  every  firesde 

by  sea  and  and.  of  struggles  against  the  hardships  of  the  wilder 
ness,  of  terrible  conflicts  with  a  savage  foe 

Vn  the  rich  libraries  of  Portland.  Boston  and  New  Haven  the 
writer  has  found  ample  material  for  his  work.  He  has  endeavored 
to  give  the  leader  his  authority  for  every  important  statetnent  he 
has  made.  Where  there  is  irreconcilable  discrepancy  i„  thTan  1 
of  the  past,  he  has  endeavored  faithfully  to  give  Sch  side 

Iheliistory  commences  with  the  landing  of  tho  T^nrthrr.r. 

gia.  dear  ot  the  State,  when  our  prosperous  Kepublio  is  about  to 
reuttalf  "°''""'^'  '"""^'-'^  °'  "»  -'«™-  -  ■^  Xn! 

make  .his  history  as  accurate  a  'pole    and  he'"      ""  ^"'""^ 
.o  .he  .i„a„  consideration  „,  ^^! :^'::aZlt:ZrZT  " 
F«KB.vz»,  C„™,  ,875.  joHiJ  S.  C.  ABBOTT 


r*""^ 


CONTENTS. 


I 


CHAPTER  I. 

▼OTAOBS  OF  THH  NORTHMKX  AND  OTHER  BABLY  BXPLORBBS. 


Country  of  the  Northuien  —  Voyages  to  Iceland  and  Greenland  —  Voyag*  of 
Thorwald— His  Death— Expedition  of  Thorflnn  and  Gudrida  — Visit  to 
Buzzard's  Bay  and  Narrasauset  Bay  —  First  Description  of  New  England  — 
A  Mystery  of  History —Voyage  of  John  Cabot  — Voyage  of  Lis  Bon  Seba»- 
Uan  Cabot  — French  and  English  Claims- Gaspar  Cortereal  — Verrazano  — 
Interview  with  the  Indians  —  Eatevan  Gomez —Nornnibega  —  John  But 

CHAPTER  IL 

T0TAOB8  OF  THKVRT,  PHIMO,   DB  MONTS,  AND  WBTHODTH. 

Journal  of  Thevet-Prlng's  Voyage  — His  Description  of  Penobscot  Bay  — 
DeMonts'  Patent  — His  Strange  Adventures- Takes  Possession  In  tho 
Name  of  the  King  of  France- Alarm  In  England— Weymouth's  Ezpedi< 
tion  —  Anchors  at  Mohegan  and  Pemaquid  —  Friendly  Intercourse  with  th« 
Natives  — Infamous  Conduct  of  Weymouth  —  Kidnapping  the  Natives  — 
Exploration  of  the  Kennebec  —  Planting  the  Cross  —  Homeward  Voyage 

CHAPTER  UI. 

THE  EXPBDITION  OF  QOVEBNOR  OEOBOB  POPHAX. 

Fate  Of  Weymouth's  Captives  —  Formation  of  the  Plymouth  Company— 
Disastrous  Expeditions  — Organization  of  Pophani's  Colony— First  Sight 
of  lAnd  — Visit  of  tho  Indians  — The  Landing  at  Pen»aquld  — Suspicions  of 
the  Natives  — First  Religious  Service  in  Maine  — Unavailing  Explorations— 
Ascending  the  Sagadahock— Th-i  Colony  located  —  Search  for  the  Penob- 
•oot— Casco  Bay —The  Androscoggin  —  Adventures  with  the  Indians 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THK  FAILURE  OF  POPHAM's  COLONY,  AND  ITS  ATTENDANT  RE8UMS. 

Indian  Etiquette  -  Virtues  of  the  Indians  -  Scenes  In  the  Colony  -  Popham's 
Death— Ruin  in  the  Colony  —  Atrocious  Cruelty  — Revenge  of  the  In- 
d«*ns— The  Explosion  —  Pears  of  the  Indians  — The  Colony  Abandoned— 
Private  Adventures  —  Infamy  of  Poutrincourt- The  Scenery  of  Mount 
Desert -Monhegan  in  its  Glory- Harlow  the  Kidnapper— Valor  of  the 
Indians— Fate  of  the  French  Colonies  —  Adventures  of  Epenow— His 
Escape- The  Battle  on  Martha's  Vineyard        .  , 


TAmm 


11 


» 


45 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

■  XI'LOKATIOWa  AWD  «KTTLBMKJrrs. 


' Th"e  wl;.'';  U?X.;7  ^'""'I';-^  "'•  ^'""'  -  •=»«'-'>  «"<»  Franc,  .t  War  -! 

CHAPTER  VX 

FKOOHXSS  OF  aKTTLKMBNTa. 



CHAPTER  VII. 

COLONIAL  JEALOU8Ll!8  AND  ALIBNATIONS 

CHAPTER  VUI. 

TH«  PBOVINOB  OF  MAINE  ANNKXKD  TO  MA88A0HU8ETT8. 

a*ouble8  on  the  Plscataqua  -  Career  of  La  Tour  -  Menaces  of  War     Ttr 

Maine  and  Maasaclnisetts  -  Code  of  Lrws-~wl?^^ 

-ett8-The  Articles  of  Union -Lv.  JoTrnwCltrTif^  T^"' 

-E«8torationofC.arIesn.-PetitJ:;Goy«e^^^^^^^^^^^ 

CHAPTER  IX. 

POLITICAL  AOIIATIONS. 


VASS 


8] 


U4 


131 


Itt 


CONTEhTO. 

OHAFTBR  t 

THH  rnisr  incian  wa*, 


I 


*UMk 


Drtok.-Scen«,  In  the  WiKwam  -The  OathcUo  MlasloiuHes- AdremuZ 
of  lUale  -  Indian  IntelliKenoe  -  -  PopiU.Uon  -  PhUh.'.  War     oTI!. 
ment  c£  H05UIIU— Awful  Scene,  of  Blood  jnd  Vl-'li^^T" 

the  English  —  Desperation  of  the  Indians  ^ 

181 

0HAPT3B  XL 

THB  BORROIUI  t        WAa 

Dispersion  of  King  PhUlp's  Forces  -  Falmouth  Desolated  -  Scenes  of  Hor. 
S'",''"°r"'^"".°^'"^-^"""'^"^  °'   Major  Waldron-MlS^^ 

lae 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

WAB8  AND  WOES  CONTUnnTD. 

Bavages  of  the  Indians  -  The  Naval  IkpecUtlon  -  Peace  proclaimed  -  Ln,«« 

mX^::^^'''^.^^^'  °'  '''""«  by  Massachusetr^Thelegime'S 
Mr.  Danforth- North   Yarmouth   incorporated  -  Baotlat   rhnrn^   1-!  ^ 
Ushed-Menaces  of  War-Employmen7of  the  MoSwks-S  r  1Z,t^ 
^e     VJ'r"  ^r^-^r-^ic'^  Actsi^t^^k  tpon  L^C^f 
Monteel      ^''«"**^-*^*^  «'  Waldron-ExpediUons   to   Quebec  a^ 


20« 


CH^PTEE  Xni. 


OAlCPAIONd  m  THE  WIIJ)E«NE88. 

Character  of  Indian  Warfare  -  Expedition  of  Captain  Church  -  Battl«  -♦ 
F^outh-The  S^l.  of  Berwick-The  Massac™  a? FSm'uth-ctLt 
at  Pejepsoot- Incidents  of  the  Campaign  -  Indian  Gratitude  _T^« 
Trace-Deplorable  Condition  of  Maine-TVe  Disiter  at  York  V J^! 
Defence  of  -eUs  -  Church's  Third  Expedition -New  Sffjj^t  ^^^^^^^^   224 

CHAPTER  XrV. 

KtKO  WILLIAM'S  WAB.  -  QCKEJf  ANNE's  WAR. 

^^rTlf  ^f  ^°°^  *°  ^^"^«  ^""^^  William  Henry  -  Cruel  tv  of  Cant 
Saw  ^  Fate-Camden  Heights  -  Plunder  on  [he  B^y  of  Fundy - 
M^or  Frost -Fearful  Tragedies  -  Consultations  for  PeJe-Ass^L. 
b^t-lmpover^hment  of  the  Province  -  Cruel  RumorfS  Netv  SS 
wt;.tw  't,"^*  Act-Oov.  Dudley-Speech  of  Simmo-lSg 
rjf^^^^'7.^°"'^  °^  ^-  fiiviferes- Shameful  Conduct  of  EnS 
IZhlck  ''""  War-Siege  of  Winter  Harbor -Arrival  of  C- 

.  240 


CONTENTH. 

OHAPTER  XV. 
THB  BTVAI.  OLAIMS  OF  PKAWOH  AND  KWatAHD. 


PAa» 


wir  A^  ,^l*  Destruction  of  Black  Point-The  Vicissitudes  ot 
Iv„7  T? *^^  Expedition  -  ^  srciless  Ravages  -  Destruction  at  B.rt 
Boyal  -  The  Biredition  to  Ncrridgewoclc  -  Exchange  of  Prisoners  -  T^I- 
^n  suspected-lncidents  of  the  Conflict  -  A  Renewed  AtSn"onp"^ 
^H~^?^  ^^^-  ^"dley-The  Third  Attack  and  its  FaUure - Nav2 

^^l"^  f^"^'^^"'-'^  ^°°^"«^*  °*  ^°^»  Scotia-ThrOomS 
aiontoQuebec— Exchange  of  Menaces      .       .  ^umam 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

BBITISH  AND  OrXAN  DIPLOIIAOT. 

Snthnriasm  of  the  British  Government  -  The  Fleet  for  the  Oonauest  of 
Cauada-mter  Failure  of  the  Enterprise  -  Dally  Perils --mBridi 
Pany-Treaty  of  Utrecht-The  Ravages   of  War-Character  of  th« 
c^rr  ^'f  *^«-Sta^  °f  ^he  Ministry-The  Peje^scot  £^^1]^!    • 
Prospects  —  Character  of  Father  Rasle        .  ".wmy 


CHAPTER  XVn. 

THE  VICISSmjDBS  OF  WAB. 

^TnXn'  5«°«^«<^-Ko3olve  Of  the  British  -  Westbrook's  Attempt  on  an 
Indian  Vilage-An  Indian  Fort  -  Expedition  to  Oldtown -Attorn^ 
upon  Norndgewock- Beauty  of  the  Village  -  Savage  D^redadoS- 
Father  Basle  and  his  Chapel -His  Letters  -  Murdef  o7Bom^een  I 
Swf  «^°'1'"v"°^^-'^^"*^  ''  Basle-Tribute  to  k  Merr^I 
Capt.LoveweU's  Achievement -Drake's  Narrative        .       .       .       .       .  300 

CHAPTER  XVin. 

THB  PBOOBESS  AND  TBBMINATION  OF  WVEWEWs  TTAB. 

Encampment  at  Great  Ossipee -  Serious  Contest-Death  of  LoveweU-Of 

Svl^**'  °'  ?!,f  "S^"^  ^  ^^«"«"'«  War-Government  Sea^ures- 

.  d ,  tJon  -  Attack  Tipon  Young  Castine  -  The  Dum.i.„r  Treaty  -  Indian  Let- 
i««-Cost  of  Indian  Wars  _  Peace  concluded  .       .      V      .  .  .         319 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  DOOM  OF  THE  INDIAN. 

French  Influence  -  Gov.  Dummer  -  His  Wise  Policy-The  Trading-Houses  - 
Life  at  Falmouth -Govs.  Burnet  and  Belcherl-Act  aS^DueUwI 
vfrTS^  V  ^  f,  *^'  English-Conference  at  FalmoutSTGov  ShSeyl 
Tailir'Tl^r'^r''"  "*  ®*-  G«-S«-The  Indians  desi™  Peace- in-        * 
diaris  refuse  to  fight  their  Brethren -The  Capture  of  Louisbnrglmr 

Proclaimed  against  the  Indians-Peace-Subsiding Billows-NewClaim^ 
of  the  English -Fort  at  Teconuet  J^ew  i^iaims 

337 


CONTENTS.  A 

CHAPTER  XX. 

.HK  OLZ>  KBENCH  WAK,  ANB  THE  WAB  O,.  THE  BEVOLUTIOX  COMKEXCED. 

The  Upper  Kennebec  Exploieil-- New  Forf;  Rniif     w        •.,.    ^  '■***■• 

Eenewe.1- English    AtrociSL-wL   >L^  ^"^It " War  with  the  Indians 


CHAPTER  XXI, 

THE  WAB  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

The  British  Fleet 


FALMOUTH  Df  A8HB8. 


;n'riu?r?„i"r"'=«i-I^«  Conference-The  Bom- 


377 
CHAPTER  XXn. 

THE  WAB  OF  1812,  AND  THE  SEPABATION. 

Expenses  of  the  War-Tha  Question  of  Separation -Increase  of  Tnw.- 

an  Independent  state      .       .  "'"o  iever    -The  Separation -Maine 

■ .      •      .  SW 

CHAPTER  XXni. 

PEACE  AND  PnOSPERirr 

"  "'    426 
CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  SCANDINAVIAN  IMMIOBATION. 

^Seden  %^rT""'~'^'''  i'lan  Adopted-Mission  of  Mr.  Tho\ 
oweuen  —  wise  Measures  triumphantiv  Successful     t>.„  Tr     ■^°°™r^ 


10 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  riCTUKESQDE  ATTRACTIONS  OP  MAINB. 

Portland  and  Casco  Bay  -  Seashore  Eesorts  -  Isles  of  Shoals -The  Beacher**" 
-Cape  Anmdel  and  Old  Orchard -Bath  to  Rockland,  and  up  the  Penob- 
scot-Mount  Desert -Lake  Sebago-Mt.   Pleasant  and  the  Saco-The 
VaUey  of  the  Androscoggin  -  Rangeley  Lakes  and  Sandy  River -The 
Kennebec  Valley-Moosehead  Lake  and  the  Aroostook 44^ 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MAINE  US'  THE  WAR  OF  THE  RBBELUON. 

MUita,ry  Condition  of  Maine  -  Proclamation  of  the  President  -  Prompt 
Action -The  Greeting  in  New  York -Welcome  in  Washington -Stove- 
Rpe  Artillery -Testimony  of  Gen.  Sickles-Gen.  Hiram  G.  Berry-The 
Liquor  Shops -The  Seventh  Maine  Complimented  -  Sufferings  of  Camp- 
Life -Colored  Regiments -Testimony  of  Gen.  Naglee-Gen.  Dow -Toils 
of  a  Campaign -The  Sharp-shooters  -  Lieut.  Hill  -  Batteries  of  Light 
Artillery- Courage  of  New  Recruits 469 

CHAPTER  XXVn. 

MAINE  IN  THE  WAR  OF  THE  REBEL IION,   CONTINUED. 

Battle  of  Cedar  Mountain  -  Bivouacking  in  the  Rain  -  Testimony  of  Gen 
Burnside-Scencs  at  Port  Hudson -Arlington  Heights  -  Campaignhig  in 
Sarcf  B„n,  Tm""  °'  *''  Twenty-Seventh  Regiment -Toilsome 
r!f  7?f  ^  Mananna- Ravages  of  Sickness -Summary  of  the  Ef- 
forts of  Maine -Major-Gen.  O.  O.  Howard  at  Gettysburg -Major-Gen. 
Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  at  the  Surrender  of  Lee        ...       .  •■    /'*"  ^^^ 

CHAPTER  XXVHL 

AGRICULTURE  AND  MANUFACTURES. 

Maine,  its  Location  and  Size -Mountains -Katahdin- Temperature -A«ri- 
cultural  Products- Various  Industries-Ship-Building-Railroads-sSe 
Quarries-Little  Blue  Quarry  -  Water-Power-  Annual  Rain-Fall-MaLu 
fa^turmg  Facdities-The  Saco  Basin-The  Androscoggin -The  Kere- 
L^:  n'^^'^"?''"*  Valley-The  St.  Croix-The  St.  Jolm-The  SaS- 
ousClimate-Prospects  of  Emigration ,        ^g^ 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

POPULAR  EDUCATION. 


Cm„S     n  ^^^""i"/^o"-Normal  Schocl  in  Castine  -  Maine  Central 
^stitute-Oak  Grove  Seminary -Cou.mereial  College  -  State  College  of 

t!^Tr-l  '^^?S°P  ^™""^^  ^'''''  -  l^>"-y  Dltrict  School -Sl- 
lectiial,  Social,  and  Physical  Advantages  of  Maine  .       . 


fil» 


CONTENTS. 


11 


CHAPTER  XXX.  < 

POPULATION. 

^irw^aTdXro^i^Sr:^^?/^^^  'Colony  Settled 

-  Immigration  of  l^ative  Erem«nf      J^^^adians- Swedish  Colony 
1790-Fragmeat8of  iSlnaTTrfes  '°T       ?    P^P'^lf  ion  Sini 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

MORALS  AND  RELIGION. 

tem?erL^cri^^I*£^^ 

Tramc-Riot  iiiPortttR'''^T^5'*- Prohibition  of  Liquor 
l^S-Sustafned  by  t  X^l'^'pro/'h  l'-^  Law  -  Re-enactef^n 
tution^Good  ItesulEsof  the  lIw  mS-*"''"  P.^V"*"  the  Consti- 
Religious  Impulse -CatholicI  -Tn/^J  *'°^•''°*  S«"'«d  Through 
aContollinsf  Koothbld-.p„.Unn  w  P/^°"f^''^"8  *^ai'«d  to  Obtain 
«etts -'P>e^Standln%Td^r-StrSr^^^^  ^'  Massachu" 

Escape  from  Taxatfon-All  PlaceTon  nnSr  ^®^^^°u°™\°''^"on«to 
tution  of  1820  -  Religious  DLVmhmtio^sTnfh'e^S^^^^^^  ?'^°«;^- 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

T^     p    ...  EDUCATION. 

cation  after  the  Revolution --FsHhiLh^!";^^^J'»*®''est  i"  Edu- 

of  Land -Establishment  of  SlS -  Th5n^?^".™!««  by  Grants 
tabhshment  of  Normal  sVliLik  f  i  ,  'l?  District  System  — Es- 
Free  High  Schools  "iodpS~T'''''*'^  traded,  and  1  System  of 
State  Sijpervision  of  the  P  .'ruc^'^^^^^^^  i»  Schoolhous^s  _ 

-Parochial  Schools  -  lmaliPercentlrn?°TnP."''°''y  Attendance 
Newspaper  Press -County  PanP,«fL  ?•'  I";teracy  in  Maine - 
Of  Periodicals  Published  ffiftiL-lJ^Si^^^^^^^^ 

CHAPTER  XXXIIL 

n-    .   .      '  POLITICAL, 

PeTed1he"WS?„":.^,STi:if!^^^ 

-Fusionists  Elecf  Governor T;  ^lumlUv  v''/  *^«  f^Preme  Cour? 
cans  Return  to  Power  in  1^2         ^'"'^''ty  Vote  m  1880-Republi. 


PAGB» 


68& 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

_  ^  RESOURCES  AND  INDUSTRIES 

l^stems      Pleasure  Trkvel  -  lX  knd  "IfJ-!^^^^^'"'^^  "  ^^"'•oad 
Why  the  People  Should  be  ConSuted^wi.u  their  ^^r''^^- Kelsons 


638. 


65S 


560 


567 


ILLUSTRATIOITS. 


PAOB 

Abbott  Family  School 406 

Abbott  School,  Farmington . . .  .405 

Agricultural  College,  Orono 526 

Battle  of  Lexingtou 370 

Blockhouse  of  Fort  Halifax. . .  .376 
Bowdoin  College,  Brunswick. .  .402 
B.  &  M.  Railroad  Bridge,  Saco..4o2 
Cascade  at  West  Waterville ...  .406 

City  Hall,  Portland 448 

Colby  University,  Waterville. .  .415 

Custom  House,  Portland 449 

Dam  at  Skowhegan 511 

Edward  H.  Elwell,        frontispiece 

Falls,  Bonny  Eagle,  Buxton 460 

Falls,  Cobbossee  Contee,  Gardi- 
ner  416 

Falls,  East  Machias 385 

Falls,  Embden  and  Solon 513 

Falls,  Lewiston 410 

Falls,  Lisbon 461 

Falls,  Liverraore 405 

Falls,  Madison  Bridge 512 

Falls,  Oldtown 328 

Falls,  Pejepscot,  Brunswick.... 229 

Falls,  Rumford 463,404 

Falls,  Ticonic,  Watervj  lie 362 

Garrison  House  at  York 234 

Garrison,  Kennebunk 318 

Insane  Hospital,  Auijusta 4.30 


PAGE 

Lake  Sebago. 459 

Longfellow  Statue,  Portland 413 

Maine  Central  Institute 321 

Maine  Gen'l  Hospital,  Portland.529 

Maine  Wesleyan  Seminary 5.54 

Normal  School,  Castine 320 

N'ormal  <^.chool,  Farmington 404 

Observatory,  Portland 447 

Old  Orchard  Beach 454 

Old  Stone  Tower,  Newport 20 

Paper  Mills  of  S.  D.  Warren  & 

Co.,  front  and  rear  views 508 

Portland,  view  of 396 

Post  Oflace,  Augusta 428 

Post  Office,  Portland 450 

Public  Library,  Portland 509 

Residences    of    Col.    Ebenezer 

Wabster  and  Others 624 

Rasle  Mon'm't,  Norridgewock..316 

Schoolhouso,  Kittery 525 

Schoolhouse,  Winthrop 527 

Soldiers  National  Home 496 

State  House,  Augusta 560 

The  Cliffs,  Cape  Arundel 451 

" The  Willows,"  Farmington... 408 

Upper  Dam,  Ellsworth 514 

Westbrook  Seminary 522 

Whitehead  Cliffs 455 


THE    HISTORY    OF   MAINE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

VOYAGES  OF  THE  NORTHMEN  1  AND  OTHER  EARLY  EXPLORERS. 

Country  of  tlie  Northmen— Voyages  to  Iceland  and  Greenland— Voyage  of 
Thorwald— Hto  Death— Expedition  of  Thorfinn  and  Gudrida— Visit  to 
Buzzard's  Bay  and  Narraganset  Bay —First  Description  of  New  England  — 
A  Mystery  of  History— Voyage  of  John  Cabot— Voyage  of  his  Son,  Sebas- 
tlan  Cabot  —  French  and  English  Claims— Caspar  Cortereal—Verrazano— 
Strange  Interview  with  the  Indians —Estevan  Gomez  —  Norumbega  —  John 
Eut. 

Tp  VENTS  contemplated  through  the  lapse  of  a  thousand 
J— ^  years  must  be  dim.  In  ancient  times  the  region  of  north- 
era  Europe,  which  now  comprehends  Denmark,  Sweden,  and 
Norway,  was  called  Scandinavia.  The  hardy  people  who  dwelt 
in  that  frigid  clime  were  called  Northmen.  They  were  a  sea- 
faring people,  regarded  mainly  as  pirates.  Shores  far  distant 
were  ravaged  by  their  plundering  expeditions. 

It  is  said,  that,  ten  centuries  ago,  one  of  these  Northmen,  Nad- 
dod,  who  was  called  the  sea-king,  driven  by  storms,  discovered 
Iceland.  It  was,  ere  long,  settled  by  a  colony  from  Denmark. 
It  is  said,  that,  about  seventeen  years  after  the  discovery  of  Ice- 
land, a  storm  drove  another  vessel  from  that  island  across  to 
Greenland,  a  distance  of  but  about  four  hundred  miles.  This 
was  in  the  extreme  north-eastern  portion  of  the  North  Ameri- 

1  For  the  following  account  of  the  voyages  of  the  Northmen,  I  am  mainly 
todebted  to  the  celebrated  work  entitled,  "  Antiquitates  Amorlcanw.  Hafnie 
Copenhagen,  1839.  By  O.  0.  Rafn."  So  faras  It  is  possible  to  obtain  any  acou- 
facy  upon  this  subject,  the  aulLurity  oi  Mr.  Kafn  ia  unquestionable. 

18 


14 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


•    bus  approached  our  shores.  ^'^^^' 

About  ten  years  after  this,  another  Northman,  by  the  nam« 

of  Biarne,  seeking  Greenland,  was  uriven  by  fierce  L 1  f^!-? 

As  the  story  goes,  four  years  after  this,  in  the  year  1000 
■late  New<.i„a-  ZS:^^  T^  t^^l  ^Ty 
.0  the  we:(  heT„t?.'d    'tjZT',:!'  f-^^' '""  *""'"« 

half  past  seven,  and  set  at  half  nast  fn„v      tv  •        ", ^^^^^^  '**^ 

de..,.,..., ..  .e,.ei  n/::^„„^rso:rn  c 

he  sent  out  the  long  boat  with  .  rl  \     T  n  ^^''''^ 

tcr-  -■"  -  -  ■i"?r»:r :,• 

that  Tf!"^'"!?'  ^'"  '^^^  "'^°"'^*^  ^^i«^  ^^«  Still  quite  vacue 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


16 


the  bows  of  his  ship  due  west,  towards  the  main  land,  and  came 
to  anchor  not  improbably  in  what  is  now  Boston  Harbor.  He 
was  so  delighted  with  the  aspect  of  the  wooded  hill,  and  the 
green  vales,  and  the  charming  expanse  of  the  bay  studded  with 
islands,  that  he  exclaimed,  »  Here  it  is  beautiful ;  here  I  should 
like  to  spend  my  days ! " 

While  at  anchor  here,  they  discovered  three  small  canoes,  each 
containing  three  natives.  These  barbarian  Northmen,  with 
cruelty  which  would  have  disgraced  savages,  pursued  the 
harmless  natives,  and  killed  eight  of  them.  One  only  escaped. 
The  fiend-like  deed  roused  the  tribe.  Soon  a  fleet  of  canoes] 
filled  with  Indian  warriors,  seemed  to  cover  the  bay.  But  their 
puny  arrows  could  make  no  impression  upon  the  oak-ribbed 
ship  of  their  foes.  The  Northmen,  sheltered  by  planks,  could 
bid  defiance  to  the  assaults  of  these  justly  exasperated  natives. 
The  assailants,  seeing  the  futility  of  their  efforts,  retired. 

They  knew  not  that  one  barbed  arrow,  God-directed,  had 
entered  the  vitals  of  Thorwald,  piercing  him  just  beneath  the 
arm.  He  was  the  only  one  injured.  As  the  deeply  imbedded 
arrow  adhered  to  the  wound,  and  the  blood  gushed  forth,  he 
had  only  time  to  say,  — 

"This  is  my  death-blow.  I  advise  you  to  depart  as  soon  as  possible; 
but  first  take  my  body  to  the  shore,  and  bury  it  upon  the  promontory 
before  you.  There  I  had  intended  to  make  my  abode:  I  shall  now  dwell 
there  forever.  Place  two  crosses  at  my  grave, -one  at  the  head  and  one 
at  the  foot;  and  let  the  spot,  in  all  future  time,  be  called  Krossanaes."  i 

This  even,  took  place,  as  is  supposed,  near  Boston  Harbor. 
It  was  the  first.conflict  between  the  native  Americans  and  the 
Europeans.  In  this  encounter  the  Europeans  were  palpably 
and  outrageously  in  the  wrong.  Thorwald's  men  returned  to 
Narraganset  Bay,  where  they  spent  the  winter.  We  have  no 
account  of  their  having  any  intercourse  with  the  Indians.  They 
probably  set  traps  for  beaver  and  other  animals.'  It  is  stated 
(hat  in  the  spring  they  set  sail  for  Greenland  with  a  cargo  of 
wood  and  furs. 

It  would  seem,  from  this  account,  that  Thorwald  and  his  men 

1  The  Promontory  of  the  Crosses. 


15 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


were  upon  the  Rhode  Island  shore  for  two  years.  They  made 
sundry  explorations,  both  east  and  west.  The  remarkable  head- 
land, now  called  Cape  Cod,  they  minutely  described.  They 
gave  It  the  name  of  Naeset,  or  the  Nose.  It  is  worthy  of  notice, 
that  when  our  Puritan  fathers  landed  at  the  head  of  the  Cape,' 
after  the  lapse  of  eight  hundred  years,  the  Indians  called  it 
Nauset,  there  being  the  change  of  but  a  single  letter  in  the 
name. 

Erik  had  a  third  son,  Thorstein.  With  fraternal  affection,  the 
young  man  decided  to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  Vineland,  as  the 
country  was  then  called,  that  he  might  obtain  the  remains  of 
his  brother,  anr  bury  them  by  the  graves  of  his  fathers.  He 
fitted  out  the  same  ship  in  which  Thorwald  had  sailed,  and  took 
with  him  a  crew  of  twenty-five  picked  men.  His  wife,  Gudrida 
who  IS  represented  as  a  woman  of  remarkable  prudence  and 
energy,  accompanied  him. 

The  ship  encountered  a  series  of  terrible  storms,  and  was 
driven  far  away  to  sea,  they  scarcely  knew  where.  Turning 
homewards,  they  did  not  reach  the  ice-bound  shores  of  Green- 
land until  early  in  December,  1005.  They  landed  at  one  of 
these  cheerless  settlements,  greatly  exhausted  by  the  tempests 
agamst  which  they  so  long  had  struggled.  Here  Thorstein  was 
taken  sick  and  died,  with  many  others  of  his  crew.  It  is  prob- 
able that  the  ship  was  frozen  in,  for  she  did  not  leave  her 
dreary  anchorage  until  the  spring.  The  heart-stricken  widow 
then  returned  to  her  friends. 

A  year  passed  away,  and  Gudrida  was  married  again  to  a  gen- 
tleman of  Iceland,  by  the  name  of  Thoi^finn.     He  was  a  wealthy 
man,  of  lUustrious  birth,  and  distinguished  for  his  virtues  and 
his  energy.     Our  own  New  England,  the  Vineland  of  the  Ice- 
landers, was  to  them,  in  comparison  with   their  icy  abode,  the 
knd  of  fruits  and  flowers,  of  genial  clime  and  sunny  skies 
Thorfinn,  influenced,  it  is  said,  by  the  glowing  description  he 
had  received  from  the  lips  of  his  wife,  of  these  favored  realms, 
fitted  out  another  exploring  expedition.     It  was  probably  his 
intention  to  establish  a  colony,  for  he  took  three  ships  and  one 
hundred  and  sixty  men. 

The  expedition  set  out  from  one  of  the  southern  ports  in 


THE  HI  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


17 


Greenland,  in  the  summer  of  1008.  They  sailed  along  the 
ooaat  of  Nova  Scotia,  then  called  Markland ;  and  then,  keeping 
the  land,  of  what  is  now  called  Maine,  ever  in  si-ht,  cruised 
along  the  shore  until  they  reached  Cape  Cod.  It  does  not 
appear  that  they  landed  at  any  point. 

They  sailed  around  Cape  Cod,  being  much  impressed  with  its 
luLg  and  sandy  beaches.  Passing  the  group  of  the  Elizabeth 
islands,  with  which  they  were  much  charmed,  and  where  they 
saw  water-fowl  in  such  wonderful  abundance  that  they  could 
scarcely  step  upon  the  shore  without  treading  upon  their  effffs 
they  cast  anchor  in  Buzzard's  Bay.  ' 

From  this  point  a  small  party  was  sent  out  on  an  exploring 
tour  to  the  north.  The  ships,  with  the  remainder  of  the  men 
saUed  westward,  and  again  entered  the  beautiful  sheet  of  water 
which  their  countrymen  had  previously  visited,*  the  Narraganset 
Kay.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  there  is  anywhere  a  more 
genial  climate  than  that  of  southern  New  England.  Farther 
north  the  winters  are  too  cold;  farther  south  the  summers  are 
too  hot.  In  this  temperate  region  there  is  perhaps  as  desirable 
a  wending  of  heat  and  cold  as  can  anywhere  else  be  found. 

Thorfinn  was  delighted  with  the  spot.  He  found  grapes  in 
rich  clusters,  wheat  growing  wild.  Through  the  winter  no 
snow  fell,  and  the  cattle  fed  in  the  open  fields.  The  natives 
who  may  not  have  heard  of  the  infamous  assault  of  Thorwald 
in  Massachusetts  Bay,  gathered  around  in  large  numbers  and 
with  the  most  friendly  feelings.  They  brought  in  furs  and 
skins,  which  they  were  eager  to  exchange  for  the  knives,  hatch- 
ets, and  beads,  which  the  strangers  brought.  The  little  hamlet 
of  log  huts  which  Thorfinn  erected  on  the  shore,  he  called 
Thorfinn  s  Buder,  or  Thorfinn's  Building. 

The  Icelandic  chronicler  of  this  enterprise  writes  that  the 
natives  valued  very  highly  the  red  cloth  the  strangers  brought. 
Ihey  would  give  furs  of  the  richest  fibre  for  a  piece  not  broader 
than  a  finger's  breadth,  which  they  bound  around  their  heads 
like  a  crown. 

We  have  mentioned,  that,  at  Buzzard's  Bay,  an  exploring  party 
had  been  sent  out  to  visit  the  region  north  and  east.  This 
company  consisted  of  eight  men,  led  by  an  Icelander  of  very 


18 


THE  IHSTOHY  OF  MAINK. 


enterprising  spnit,  named  Thorhall.  He  is  represented  as  a 
man  of  very  dark  complexion,  of  stout  build,  and  great  physical 
strength.  They  er-.barked  in  a  large  boat,  sailed  along  the 
eastern  coast  of  Cape  Cod,  and  then  struck  across  Mas^ohu- 
setts  Hay,  north-westerly  towards  the  coast  of  Maine. 

On  this  passage  he  encountered  a  north-west  wind  of  such 

fury  and  continuance,  that,  according  to  the  almost  incredible 

elateraent,  he  was  driven  entirely  across  the  Atlanuc  Ocean  to 

he  coast  of  Ireland.     As  the  story  goes,  he  and  his  men,  upon 

landing,  were  made  slaves. 

Atjhe  Narragauset  settlement  dissensions  arose  between  the 
J^orthmen  and  the  natives.  Battles  ensued.  The  Northmen 
were  worsted  in  the  conflict,  as  probably  they  deserved  to  be. 
Impartial  history  must  declare,  that,  perhaps  without  exception, 
in  the  battles  waged  in  this  country  between  the  Europeans 
and  the  natives,  the  Europeans  were  the  aggressors.  The 
natives  seem  invariably  to  have  fought  to  avenge  some  wronga 
previously  received.  ^ 

The  Northmen,  who  were  but  little  better  armed  than  the 
natives,  and  far  outnumbered  by  them,  found  their  position  very 
perilous.  Thorfinn  decided  to  break  up  his  colony  and  return  , 
to  Greenland,  but  he  had  heard  no  tidings  from  Thorhall :  he 
therefore  took  one  of  his  ships,  and  sailed  in  search  of  him. 
The  rest  of  his  company  he  left  on  the  shore  at  Buzzard's  Bay 

It  IS  supposed  that  he  reached  the  coast  of  Maine.  There  he 
cast  anchor  at  the  mouth  of  a  river.  Endless  forests  were 
spread  out  before  him,  with  scarcely  any  open  space.  Thorfinn, 
disappointed  in  his  search  for  Thorhall,  returned  to  his  com- 
panions whom  he  had  left  at  Buzzard's  Bay,  and  there  he  passed 
the  winter.     It  was  his  third  winter  in  Vineland 

In  the  spring  of  1011  he  again  spread  his  sails,  and  returned 
to  (Greenland.  There  are  some  indications  in  the  narrative,  that 
a  few  men  were  left  in  the  colony  at  the  bay :  this  is,  however 
uncertain.  Thorfinn  took  with  him  two  native  boys.  Whether 
they  were  carried  away  by  stealth,  or  of  their  own  free  will,  is 
not  known  The  report  he  gave  of  the  climate  and  its  produc- 
tions, and  the  exhibition  he  made  of  its  furs  and  skins,  and  of 
rare  varieties  of  wood,  inspired  others  with  the  desire  to  visit 
these  regions  of  so  much  promise. 


TUE  UiarORY  OF  MAINE. 


\9 


It  was  then  supposed  that  Vineland  belonged  to  Europe,  — 
that  it  was  merely  an  extension  of  the  coasts  of  Norway  and 
Sweden.  They  called  the  natives  Skrellings,  or  little  men,»  the 
same  name  which  they  had  given  to  the  Esquimaux  of  the 
extreme  north.  In  a  very  celebrated  work,  written  about  that 
time  by  Adam  of  Bremen,  entitled  "  Ecclesiastical  History  of 
the  North  of  Europe,"  we  find  the  following  curious  passage:  — 

"  Sueno,  King  of  Denmark,  to  whom  I  paid  a  visit,  descrihed  to  me,  in 
conversation  on  the  northern  countries,  among  many  other  islands,  one 
which  had  been  caUed  Vinoland,  because  the  vine  would  grow  there  without 
any  cultivation,  and  because  it  produced  the  best  sort  of  wine.  Plenty  of 
fruits  grow  in  this  country  without  planting.  This  is  not  mere  rumor.  I 
have  this  news  from  very  authentic  and  trustworthy  relations  of  the  Danes. 
Beyond  this  land,  however,  no  habitable  country  is  found.  On  the  coni 
trary,  every  thing  to  the  north  is  covered  with  ice  and  eternal  night." 

This  is  the  first  description  of  New  England  which  is  given 
to  the  reading  public  of  Europe.  It  is  supposed,  from  inciden- 
tal allusions  which  are  found  in  the  annals  of  those  days,  that 
after  this  there  were  many  commercial  expeditions  to  Vineland, 
to  obtain  furs,  skins,  wood,  and  other  commodities,  for  tho 
Greenland  and  Iceland  markets.  Of  these  no  special  record 
was  made. 

As  it  is  stated,  that,  in  the  year  1121,  a  bishop  by  the  name 
of  Erik  visited  Vineland  on  a  Christian  mission,  it  is  proba- 
ble that  there  was  some  colony  on  the  coast,  or  perhaps  scat- 
tered colonies,  where  Northmen  were  engaged  in  trading  with 
the  natives,  fishing,  and  wood-cutting.  The  beauty,  salubrity, 
and  fertility  of  the  country,  compared  with  Greenland  and 
Iceland,  must  have  presented  strong  inducements  to  visit  the 
sunny  realm,  and  to  remain  there. 

In  Newport,  R.I.,  there  are  the  ruins  of  a  stone  tower, 
which  have  evidently  been  battered  by  the  storms  of  ages.  As 
the  origin  of  the  building  is  entirely  lost  in  the  haze  of  dis- 
tance, it  is  by  many  supposed  that  the  tower  was  built  by  the 
bands  of  the  Northmen.  The  architecture  is  neither  above  nor 
below  their  capabilities.     The  building  might  have  been  con- 

1  This  is  probably  the  signification  of  the  term,  though  various  other  interpr*. 
tations  have  been  S"t»ssstsd.  —••^M-i^iw- 


30 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


structed  a8  a  citadel  of  defence,  or  for  induHtrial  purposes.  In 
view  of  the  facts  contained  in  these  pages,  it  is  not  unreasona- 
ble  to  suppose  that  the  venerable  tower  reruains  a  memorial  of 
the  Northmen's  visit. 

One  or  two  hundred  yeara 
of  silence  pass  away.  The 
storms  of  winter  wail  through 
the  forests  of  Vinelar  l.  'J'he 
suns  of  summer  clothe  the 
pxtended  landscape  in  verd- 
ure, opening  tli  flowers,  and 
ripening  the  grapes.  Indian 
hunting-bands,  of  unknown 
name  and  language,  wander 
through  the  solitudes  in  pur- 
0.0  «TON.  TowKu.  ..u  M....  .KWPOBT.       .^jt  ^f  ^hc  bcar,  thc  dccr,  the 

moose,  and,  after  life's  brief  and  joyless  dreem,  vanish  in  death. 
But  from  these  awful  solitudes  no  voice  reaches  us.  We  have 
no  record  of  the  joys  or  gr;efs  of  these  benighted  children  of 
the  forest.  We  simply  know  that  everywhere  upon  this  globe, 
—  this  residence  of  fallen  humanity,  —  man  is  born  to  mourn. 
In  the  wigwam  of  the  savage,  as  in  the  palace  of  the  monarch, 
eyes  must  weep,  and  hearts  must  bleed. 

As  we  have  mentioned,  the  Northmen  called  Nova  Scotia 
Markland,  or,  "The  Country  of  the  Woods."  As  there  were 
no  definite  boundaries  then  conceived  of,  this  name  included 
the  northern  portion  of  Maine,  as  Vineland  jncluded  its  south- 
ern portion.  An  Icelandic  geographer,  in  his  description  of  the 
globe,  writes,  his  language  I.cing  translated  into  modern 
terms :  — 

"  From  northern  Russia,  the  lanu  extends  northerly  to  uninhabited  des- 
erts, until  Greenland  commences.  Thence,  towards  the  south,  lie  New- 
foundland, Nova  Sootia,  and  Vineland.  It  is  supposed  that  Vineland 
stretches  out  towards  Africa.  England  and  Scotland,  form  one  island.  Ice- 
land IS  a  large  islaud  on  the  north  of  Ireland.  Ail  these  countries  are  in 
that  part  of  the  world  called  Europe." 

The  fact  must  forever  remain  inexplicable,  why  the  North- 
men, after  having  discovered  and  partially  colonized  the  fair 


iHE  nisTonr  or  mains. 


fl 


realms  of  Vineland,  should  have  abandoned  them  entirely, 
while  tl.ey  continued  their  settlements  in  the  dreary  regions 
of  Greenland  and  Iceland.  They  called  the  region  "  Vineland 
the  Good."  They  extolled,  in  merited  praise,  the  capacious 
harbors  and  the  beautiful  rivers  with  which  this  goodly  land 
was  blessed.  Here  the  purple  grapes  hun<'  in  clusters;  apples, 
pears,  peaches,  and  .in  innumerable  variety  of  plums,  grew  in 
orchards  which  Nature's  hand  had  planted.  Indian  com  waved 
gracefully  in  spontaneous  growth.  They  found  pure  water, 
fertile  fields,  and  sunny  skies.  Wood  was  in  abundance,  for 
buildings,  to  cheer  the  winter  fireside,  and  for  the  mechanic 
arts.  Yet  all  this  they  abandoned  for  bleak  and  fiigid  realms 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  north  pole. 

The  Northmen,  as  we  have  said,  did  not  consider  Vineland  a 
new  world.  They  thought  it  only  a  continuation  of  their  own 
Scandinavian  land.  Iceland  became  quite  a  noted  republic. 
Thriving  colonies  rose  on  the  icebound  coasts  of  Greenland ; 
and  yet  Vineland  was  left,  for  several  hundred  years,  to  the 
undisturbed  possession  of  its  savage  inhabitants. 

The  centuries  passed  slowly  away,  and  Vineland  was  forgot- 
ten. The  colonies  in  Greenland  perished.  Iceland,  far  away 
amidst  arctic  seas,  was  isolated,  and  scarcely  known  to  exist  by 
Southern  Europe.  When,  in  1492,  Columbus  discovered  the 
islands  of  the  Wtst  Indies,  he  supposed  himself  to  be  upon  the 
coast  cf  Asia.  Five  years  after  this,  Henry  VII.  fitted  out  an 
expedition  from  Bristol,  England,  supposing  that  China  might 
be  reached  by  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  very  high  latitudes. 
The  command  of  this  expedition  was  probably  intrueted  to 
John  Cabot."  i 

This  renowned  voyager  had  three  sons,  Lewis,  Sebastian,  and 
Sancius,  all  of  whom  seem  to  have  inherited  in  a  degree  the  nau- 
tical taste  and  the  love  of  adventure  of  their  father.  Sebastian, 
in  particular,  subsequently  attained  »vorld-wide  renown.  A  fleet 
of  five  ships  sailed  from  Bristol,  England,  in  the  spring  of  1497. 

1  There  has  been  much  diacuMion  by  antiquarianB  In  referense  to  the  voyages 
of  John  Cabot  and  his  son  Sebastian,  which  It  would  he  out  of  place  to  Introduce 
here.  Those  who  feel  Interested  In  that  question  will  find  it  fully  presented  Id 
the  Documentary  History  of  Maine,  by  William  Willis,  vol.  i.  I  give  the  narra 
wve  here  as  it  is  generally  received. 


22 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


u 


n  '. 


John  Cabot  was  intrusted  with  the  coraraand.i     His  thre?  sons 
accompanied  him.     In  the  instructions  fur.iished  by  the  king 
he  was  authorized  to  sail  under  the  royal  banner  t«  all  parte 
in  search  of  islands  or  countries  unknown  to  Christians      He' 
was  to  plant  that  banner,  and  to  reign  over  the  countries  he 
might  discover,  as   the  king's  vassal.     In  this  patent,  as  -'t 
was  called   t  le  voyage  was  to  be  directed  to  the  east,  west,  or 
north ;  it  being  understood  that  the  south  belonged  to  Spain  and 
Portugal,  as  the  first  discoverers.     Cabot  and  hi,,  associates 
were  to  provide  every  thing  for  the  expedition  at  their  own 
cost.     They  had  nothing  from  the  king,  but  the  royal  authority 
and  protection  as  their  passport. 

We  know  but  little  in  respect  to  this  voyage.  Sebastian 
wrote  an  account  of  it;  but  his  manuscript  is  lost.2  It  is  con- 
jectured  that  the  Cabots  caught  the  first  sight  of  the  North- 

tr/ToT  8  ""'^f "''  °"  '^'  '""''  "^  ^"^^^^°^'  ^"^  the  24th  of 
June,  1497.8  Some  contend  that  the  land  which  they  first 
made  was  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton.  Having  run  along  the 
coast,  we  know  not  whether  north  or  south,  three  hundred 
^agues,  they  returned  to  Bristol  early  in  August,  1497  The 
Cabots  were  received  with  great  joy;  for  it  was  supposed  that 
they  had  discovered  the  empire  of  China 

We  hear  nothing  more  of  John  Cabot.     He  probably  soon 
died.     One  year  after  this,  in  1498,  Sebastian  Cabot  sailed  with 
two  ships  from  Bristol,  in  the  month  of  May.     It  is  said  that 
he  touched  the  coast  of  Labrador  far  in  the  north.     Finding  it 
intensely  cold,  even  in  July,  with  vast  islands  of  ice  floating 
around,   and   the  land   trending   to   the  ea^t,  he  directed  his 
course   to  the  south.*     Coasting  the  southern  shores  of  Lab- 
rador,  he  cast  anchor  at  Newfoundland.     He  was  seeking  a 
passage   to  India.     As   he   cruised  along,  he   kept  the   coast 
constantly  in  view  on  his  right.    Leaving  behind  him  the  forest- 
crowned  cliffs  of  Nova  Scotia,  he  entered  what  is  called  the 

John  Cabot,  but  his  son  Sebas^al?^^  the lo^mt^d       ''  ^  ''"  ''^^  ''"''  ""'' 
*•  aHlv^uo's  Discoveries  of  the  World,  p.  88.    London,  160i. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


28 


broad  Gulf  of  Maine,  eagerly  examining  all  the  indentations 
of  its  sublime,  jagged,  solitary  shores. 

The  highlands  of  Maine  can  be  seen  at  a  great  distance  on 
the  ocean.  There  was  a  continuous  line  of  coast  reaching  out 
before  him.  It  is  supposed  that  he  continued  his  voyage  along 
the  whole  length  of  the  coast  of  Maine,  and  across  Massachu- 
setts Bay,  until  he  found  himself  land-locked,  as  it  were,  by  the 
long  curvature  of  Cape  Cod.^  Rounding  this  hook  of  sand,  his 
hopes  were  probably  greatly  revived  by  seeing  the  open  ocean, 
extending  far  away  to  the  west.  Whether  he  discovered  the 
harbor  of  New  York  can  never  be  known.  Finding,  to  his  dis- 
appointment, the  land  taking  a  southern  turn,  and  his  provisions 
falling  short,  after  reaching  the  latitude  of  Cape  Hatteras  he 
entered  upon  his  homeward  voyage. 

Great  was  his  disappointment  at  this  result  of  his  voyage. 
Instead  of  finding  the  rich  and  populous  realms  of  China,  he 
encountered  only  uncultivated  and  savage  wilds,  blocking  up  his 
way.  He  was  the  first  to  recognize  that  the  new  world  was  a 
vast  barrier  between  Western  Europe  and  Eastern  Asia.^ 

It  was  this  voyage  of  Sebastian  Cabot,  along  so  large  a  por- 
tion of  the  coast  of  tlie  North  American  Continent,  upon  which 
England  founded  her  claim  to  the  possession  of  the  country 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  shore.  The  breadth  of  the 
continent  was  then  entirely  unknown.  It  was  a  received  law 
of  nations,  that  the  discovery  of  a  coast  entitled  the  nation  by 
whom  the  discovery  was  made  to  the  possession  of  that  terri- 
tory, to  the  exclusion  of  the  right  of  any  other  European  power. 
It  was  also  an  acknowledged  principle  of  national  law,  that  the 
discovery  and  exploration  of  a  river  entitled  the  nation,  by 
which  this  exploration  was  made,  to  the  territory  which  that 
river  and  its  tributaries  drained. 

English  explorers  were  the  first  to  behold  the  coast  of  these 
limitless  and  unexplored  realms.  Their  flag  was  the  first  to 
wave  over  these  waters.  Hence  England  claimed  the  continent 
for  nearly  its  whole  extent. 


'  Documentary  History  of  the  State  of  Mtiine,  by  William  Willis,  vol.  i  p.  141. 
2  New  York  Histoiieal  Collections,  vol.  i.  p.  23. 
fi  Asher's  Life  of  Henry  Hudson.    London,  1860. 


24 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


But  France  discovered  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  series  of  majes- 
tie  lakes;  and  her  flag  first  floated  upon  the  Mississippi,  from  its 
source  to  its  mouth.  Hence  France  claimed  the  Valley  of  the 
Mississippi,  in  its  then  unknown  grandeur  of  expanse,  -  almost 
a  world  m  itself.  These  conflicting  claims  led  to  the  clash  of 
arms,  to  demoniac  battles,  to  horrors  of  blood,  misery,  and  death, 
which  can  never  adequately  be  told. 

Soon  after  the  expedition  of  the  Cabots,  the  Portuguese  sent 
vessels  to  explore  the  coast  of  North  America.  In  the  year 
1500  Gaspar  Cortereal,  a  man  of  a  noble  family,  left  Lisbon  with 
two  ships.  It  is  said  that  the  first  land  he  made  was  the  east 
coast  of  Newfoundland.  Following  the  shore  towards  the 
south,  he  came  probably  to  the  coast  of  Maine.  He  describes 
the  country  as  abounding  in  forests,  well  adapted  for  ship-build- 
mg,  with  large  rivers,  and  a  sea-coast  well  stocked  with  fish  of 
various  kinds,  especially  with  codfish. 

With  villany,  which  even  the  moral  darkness  of  those  days 
cannot  extenuate,  he  enticed  fifty-seven  of  the  natives,  men  and 
boys,  on  board  his  ship,  and,  luring  them  below  deck,  closed  the 
hatchways  upon  them,  and  earned  them  off  to  sell  as  slaves  in 
bpain.  Fifty  of  these  he  had  on  board  his  own  vessel.  Seven 
he  put  m  his  consort.  But  an  avenging  God  decided  that  he 
should  not  return  to  Spain  to  sell,  in  her  slave-marts,  the  victims 
he  had  stolen^  In  some  fearful,  ocean  tragedy,  which  no  eye 
but  that  of  God  beheld,  the  ship,  its  guilty  commander,  and 
all  its  inmates  were  ingulfed.^ 

The  Venetian  ambassador  at  Lisbon  witnessed  the  arrival,  in    . 
the  Portuguese  capital,  of  the  seven  Indians  placed  in  the  con- 
sort.     In  a  letter  which  this  Venetian,  M.  Pasqualigo,  wrote, 
describing  their  appearance,  he  says,  -- 

"  These  natives  are  taU,  weU-builfc,  and  in  color,  stature,  and  aspect 

trongly  resemble  the  Gypsies  of  Europe.     They  are  admirably  calcuS 

for  labor,  and  will  make  the  best  slaves  I  have  ever  seen."  «  '^''^^'^^^^ 

Germ^nr''°'""''''*''°''*°'''"^-*^^^'"«'''^^    By  Dr.  J.  G.  Kohl.    Bremen, 
a  This  letter  was  published  in  VIcenza,  Italy,  1607.    It  was  entitled    ^^V<^^^ 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  25 

Fr^nr^lr?*^/"*''  ^'^^^  away^vhen  Francis  I.,  king  of 

onZni  I  IT  ""  '^P'^^'^°"  "^  ^°"^«^^iP«  to  explore  the 
coast  of  North  Amenca.  The  enterprise  was  intrusted  to  the 
comrnand  of  an  Italian  from  Florence,  by  the  name  of  GioUn 
da  Verrazano.  We  have  not  a  very  full  account  of  this  voy- 
T:  .u  r  ,"°i  ^^'^^"^  investigation  has  led  to  the  opinion 
hat  the  httle  fleet  sailed  from  France  in  the  autumn  of^^S 
In  a  storm  two  ships  were  separated  from  the  rest.  Whether 
they  were  lost,  or  returned  to  France,  we  know  not.  We  hear 
01  them  no  more. 

After  various  adrentures  and  delays,  it  is  supposed  that  Ver- 

cZ%r  i"""  °'  """'■•  ^'^*'  "^"Sht  sight  of  the  land  at 
Cape  Fear,  on  the  coast  of  what  is  now  North  Carolina.  He 
sailed  about  th.rty  leagues  south ;  finding  no  good  harbor,  he 
turned  back  to  the  north.  He  oast  anchor,  as  is  supposed,  near 
New  R,ver  Inlet,  about  si«y  miles  west  of  Cape  Lookout.   The 

fn^SlUpp-r -°' '""  ^^^""•^'  ''  "•-  "^'-■O  ■-' 

trees.     The  water  is  shaUow,  and  the  shore  without  harbors. ''         ^^ 

Continuing  his  cruise,  he  sailed  arcind  Cape  Hatteras,  and,  at 
the  distance  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north  cast 
anchor  near  the  land.  A  French  ship  ha/  been  wrecked  t 
this  vicinity,  and  one  poor  boy  was  washed  ashore.  The  In- 
dians nursed  him  as  if  he  were  their  own  child.  They  re- 
ceived Verrazano  with  the  greatest  hospitality.     He  requited 

stXgym"^^"' '  "'"^  '^'^"" '''  ^•^  '^-'  ^-  «^^p'  -^ 

Continuing  to  sail  along  in  sight  of  the  coast,  coming  to 
anchor  every  night,  he  reached,  as  is  supposed.  New  York  Har- 
bor.     It  can  scarcely  be  doubted,  that,  in  the  following  descrip- 

tZ  ..V':r.^'  ^^'^'^^  *°  '''''  -g-«'  -<!  that  the 

hills  were  the  highlands  of  Neversink. 

vol!K""°  °'   """""''""'  ^°'="'"«"»"y  H'-^tory  of  the  State  of  Maine. 


JUVOIAT  DES  HKS  MAMtfiftfe 

siiLEftr,  out 


26 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


We  anchored  at  a  very  pleasant  spot  among  prominent  hills.  In  the 
midst  of  these  there  ran  down  to  the  sea  a  great  body  of  water.  It  was  bo 
deep  at  its  mouth,  that  any  heavily-laden  vessel  might  pass  into  it." 

Sailing  along  the  southern  shore  of  Long  Island,  he  again 
cast  anchor,  it  is  supposed,  in  the  beautiful  Narraganset  Bay. 
He  remained  here,  probably  in  Newport  Harbor,  a  fortnight. 
The  Indians,  having  forgotten  the  outrages  of  the  Northmen, 
and  not  knowing  what  a  treacherous  man  they  had  to  deal  with 
received  him  conddingly,  and  welcomed  him  to  their  hospitable 
wigwams.  He  made  several  excursions  into  the  interior,  and 
was  everywhere  greeted  with  friendly  words  and  deeds.  Dur- 
ing this  visit,  it  is  probable  that  he  kept  the  stolen  boy  carefully 
concealed.  '' 

Verrazano  was  the  first  European,  after  the  Northmen,  who 

entered  this  lovely  bay.     It  is  interesting  to  observe  how  singu- 

arly  his  description  accords  with  theirs  in  his  allusions  to  the 

beauty  of  the  scenery,  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  luxuri- 

ance  of  its  vines  and  grapes. 

On  the  5th  of  May  he  again  spread  his  sails.     Coasting  along 
tlie  shores  of  New  England,  a  distance  of  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  keeping  the  land  ever  in  view,  he  must  have  entered 
the  great  gulf  of  Maine.     He  gives  quite  a  minute  report  of 
the  coast  of  Maine,  and  of  his  intercourse  with  its  inhabitants  » 
He  found  the  region  mountainous,  with  dense  forests  of  pines, 
'aemlocks,  sp.uce,  firs,  and  such  other  trees  as  flourish  in  cold 
climates.    He  did  not  know  that  his  predecessor  in  visiting 
that  coast,  Gaspar  Cortereal,  had  practised,  but  three  or  four 
years  before,  villany  upon  tlie  natives  even  surpassing  his  own  • 
for,  while  he  had  stolen  but  one  boy,  Cortereal  had  kidnapped 
fifty-seven  of  the  uno£Pending  Indians.     He  was  therefore  sur- 
prised  to  find  that  the  Indians  of  Maine  did  not  receive  him 
with  smiles  of  welcome.     He  writes, : 

•'  They  seem  very  different  from  the  other  Indians  we  have  met.  The 
others  were  very  courteous  and  gentle.  But  these  ar.  rude  and  hostile. 
They  are  so  barbarous,  that  by  no  efforts  could  we  induce  them  to  have 
any  traffic  with  us.  They  clothe  themselves  with  the  skins  of  beasts. 
Iheirfood,  so  far  as  we  could  perceive,  was  obtained  from  hunting  and 

i  Hakluyt's  Voyages,  vol.  iii.  p.  2i)6.    lioudon,  KJOO. 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  g^ 

the  seashore,  and  stand  upof  crLlv  r-k-  .  f  ''°"^'*  ^O'^etin^es  come  to 
^beneath.  They  would  Z^loT^lo'^lZ^'':  T  'P^'"^^^'^  '^  '^  ^oats 
•offer,  demanding,  in  retu™  knfves  "^^  "«  T/^7  ^^'^  P^«^«<*  *<> 
account  of  our  courtesy  buf  iT  ^T^^'^^'  »»d  tools-  They  took  no 
permitted  to  land  wL ^ t'd  no^  "'  "'*'''  *'**  "«  "^o-^^  -^o*  be 
they  showed  aU  the  srg^s  of  Ltred  whSf  T"  *"  '^'''^^«'  ^^'^  ^'^'^^^^ 
went  on  shore  with  twenty-five "mtd  ten  "^,P°«f  ^«  *°  ^-nt.  W^ 
bows,  made  great  outories,^and  fled  to  th^woods  »  7  "'  "  "^*^  *^«'^ 

giv!n?f  theTadw^^^^  ^"   *^-  — t    thus 

where  the  Europeans  first  landed    th«v  '"^  ^°"^^' 

truly  brotherly  kindness  by    he  naiivt  "^  The"  ""  7'  7^^^ 
--%  until  tWbeeaJe.aspe:r  by^tt^:-tS^^^^ 

no  record  ha.  beer.td^ris  ^^^^^^^^^  °^/^-^ 

unprincipled  and  reeklp«,  Ja       ."^^^^'^  *^at  many  of  these 

that  he  had  discovered  a  ne^  ou^Vhth  haTr  \^' 
seen  by  any  one  in  aneient  or  modern  tO  "  '"'" 

de.trerrc™r'c;;rr  v^ir^-  -««'•  -  >■- 

to  the  north-east  coast  of  North  il  ^T  '""'  ""  '='P°*'""> 
sage  to  the  East  Indies  eX"  p  '"°*  *"  '^'■'"^  for  a  pas- 
He  sailed  from  Co  n larZ  ?°r%T  P'^^" ''"'°»"»»<'- 

know  but  little  of  r:  ;a;;t  e  that  h'™7'  T-  ^« 

the  bays  and  ports  of  Neif  g,a  J     ha    he  ^  T"^  "' 

tory.  of  .hioh  Maine  is  a  par^^th^-t'crtrlTof  Oo^ '  .^J 

HM«|MM™,c.„Mtb«ki,„,vn  '  ''""'°'  ''°"»''»  ot  Maine,  or  Ne» 

tta.  1,.  „„  ,.k.„  b,  „„  SpaZ  ™^l n,!,™?.'.""";  "»  "»«'■«»■    0.1,  J  ,S 

• — a^t  ti3  jt  pirate. 


I 


S8 


THE  fflSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


that  he  was  guilty  of  the  enormous  crime  of  "  catching  as 
many  Indians  as  he  could  take  on  board  his  small  vessels,  and 
carrying  them  to  Spain."     We  are  not  told  how  these  poor  cap- 
tives were  taken.     But  it  seems  probable  that  he  conveyed^ 
them  to  Cuba,  a  Spanish  colony,  where  he  sold  them  as  slaves. 

The  French  had  given  the  territory,  then  claimed  and  par- 
tially occupied  by  Spain,  the  Indian  name  of  Norumbega.  The 
limits  of  the  region  were  exceedingly  undefined.  At  one  time 
it  included  the  whole  coast  to  the  southern  extreme  of  Florida. 
Then  it  was  restricted  to  New  England,  afterwards  to  Maine, 
and  finally  to  the  region  of  the  Penobscot  alone.  The  Penob- 
scot they  called  The  Great  River  of  Norumbega.i 

We  have  very  vague  accounts  of  an  English  expedition  to  the 
coast  of  Maine  in  a  ship  "  The  Mary  of  Guilford,"  commanded 
by  John  Rut.  This  was  in  the  year  1567.  It  is  said  that  he 
frequently  landed,  with  parties  of  his  men,  to  explore  the  in- 
terior. The  account  which  we  have  of  this  enterprise  is 
meagre  in  the  extreme.  This  was  the  second  Unffliah  expedi- 
tion after  that  of  Sebastian  Cabot.  Though  Northmen,  French- 
men, and  Spaniards  had  previously  landed  on  the  coast  of  New 
England,  this  is  the  first  occasion  upon  which  we  are  distinctly 
informed  that  the  feet  of  Englishmen  pressed  our  soil. 

1  Ramusio,  torn.  Hi.  fol.  433.  See  also  Charts  of  French  Discoveries,  Maine 
Historical  Collection,  vol.  I  p.  231.  Ramnsio  writes,  "Going  beyond  the  cape 
of  tlie  Bretons,  there  is  a  country  which  extends  west  sotith-west  to  Florida  a 
Rood  five  hundred  leagues.  The  inhabitants  of  this  countrv  are  a  very  pleasant 
tractable,  and  peaceful  people.  The  country  is  abounding  with  all  sorts  of  fruit' 
There  grow  oranges,  almonds,  wild  grapes,  and  many  other  fnilts  of  odoriferous 
trees.  The  country  is  named  by  the  inhabitants  Norumbegk.  Between  it  and 
Brari]  there  is  a  great  gulf,  in  which  are  the  Islands  of  the  West  Indies  " 


CHAPTER  II. 

VOYAGES  OF  THEVET,   PBING,   DB  MONTS,  AND   WEYMOQTH. 

^''ZltfJ^T'I'^''/''  ^°y^«-H'«  Description  of  Penobscot  Bay-De 
Mont8  Patent-His  Strange  Adventures -Takes  Possession  in  the  Name 
of  the  King  of  Prance-Alarm  in  England  -  Weymouth's  Expedition- 
Anchors  at  Mohegan   and    Pemaquld  -  Friendly    Intercourse   with    the 

vlnZl7      7T  ^r^*""*  °*  Weymouth -Kidnapping  the  Natives - 
Exploration   of   the   Kennebec  -  Planting   the   Cross  -  The   Homeward 

TN  the  year  1556,  a  French  gentleman  by  the  name  of  Andrd 
-L  Thevet,  a  scholar  and  a  writer  of  much  repute,  desiring  to 
see  the  New  World,  took  passage  in  a  vessel  which  sailed  along  the 
entire  east  coast  of  both  South  and  North  America.^  Thevet 
visited  the  coast  of  Maine,  and  gives  the  following  description 
ot  the  Penobscot  River :  — 

"  Hwe  we  entered  a  river  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  whole  world. 
We  call  It  Norumbega.  It  is  marked  on  some  charts  as  the  Grand  River 
The  natives  call  it  Agoncy.  Several  beautiful  rivers  flow  into  it.  Upon 
Its  banks  the  Irench  formerly  erected  a  small  fort,  about  ten  leagues  from 
Its  mouth.  It  was  called  the  Fort  of  Norumbega,  and  was  surrounded  by 
fresh  water.  •' 

^  "Before  you  enter  this  river,  there  appears  an  island  surrounded  by 

"a?  /!?  I  *"•  ^^''^  ^'®  "'"**»«  country  of  the  Green  Mountains. 
About  three  leagues  into  the  river,  there  is  an  island  four  leagues  in  cir- 
cumference, which  the  natives  call  Aiayascon.a  It  would  be  easy  to  plant 
on  this  wland,  and  to  build  a  fortress,  which  would  hold  in  check  the  whole 
surrounding  country.    Upon  landing,  we  saw  a  great  multitude  of  people 

Lea  Smgulart^s  de  la  France  Antarctique,  autrement  noramtf  Amerique.'' 
{The  Smgularitieao/AntarcUc France,  otheriniM  caUed  America.) 

p, — 

29 


90 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


toTf  fltr  oS  r  "  such  numbers  that  you  might  have  supposed  them 

^yt  ^X  12    4"       ''  "n"  rr  '"*'  '""'^  *»•«  womeTthen  th^ 

"  ConsU^ll  f h'  •         ^  r''/"  "'''*^''^ '"  *^  ^'^•"^  °f  ^"d  animals. 

friendshin     Th«  l«l    7  ^^'  P«''°«»''n»  o^r  fear,  made  signs  of 

mendsh  p.    The  better  to  assure  us,  tliey  sent  to  our  vessel  several  of  th^ir 
fiXr,  ™«»'^ith  presents  of  provisions.     We  returned  a     11^1  of 
tftL  someVh       "'"'  *''^  ""^  '^^^'y  P^«^«d-    The  next  morning,  I 
mo?e  pristns^ifThr™  n"";'  "^  ™"*  *'^^™'  *°  «^«  ^^  -  -"Id  o'dn 
of  the'rerwh;  w  J  clrp^^^^  "^^'-    ^?  ^«  -*"«d  *he  house 

hanging  on  the  beZs        '  "''  "'  ""  ""^'*^  «^^"^^*««<^  ---i- 

th«e^'/  S''l,^,f  "'""^^  '""•    '"  "■'  "■<■"""«  ke  came  to  th,  ship  with 
Go  back  on  land  with  me,  my  friend  and  brother.     Come  and  eat  and 


Nearly  half  a  century  passes  away  before  we  have  any  other 
t.dmgs  of  importanee  in  refei-enee  to  Maine.    There  were  manv 

would  not  be  m  place  here.   In  the  year  160^  an  F^^r  u        • 
tor,  Bartholomew  Gosnold,  crossed  ZlLZ,  St  ST 
»n>e,  wh.Ie  .t  .s  disputed  by  othe.,  that  he  touched  the  cit  o[ 

^  Mass.  Hiat.  Coll.,  vol.  vii,  p.  243. 


Tin:  iiisTORr  of  MArxe. 


n 


Maine  near  Mount  Desert.i   The  next  year  (1603)  Martin  Pri„<, 
7       ZJTi'  "  '^^'  ^P''<'»'°"  "  -"d  "  The  D Love  "'S 

tma,  with  tlie  natives  for  furs  and  for  sassafras,  which  was 
deemed  an  herb  of  great  medicinal  value. 

On  the  7th  of  June,  Pring  entered  Penobscot  Bay.  He  cives 
a  glowing  account  of  the  almost  unrivalled  scenery  there  nre 
sented.  They  found  excellent  anchorage,  and  Jing-ground 
never  surpassed.  The  majestic  forests  deeply  impressed  Zm 
Upon  one  of  the  islands  they  saw  a  nnniberlLi"  c^g^y  Le" 
This  led  them  to  give  the  name  of  Fox  Islands  to  fhe  group' 
Sailing  along  he  coast  in  a  south-easterly  direction,  they  faTd 
by  the  beautiful  islands  which  stud  Casco  Bay,  and  entered  a 

s";  milerr  """""Jf  ,r  f""-    '^-'^  the/Leended  a  ou 
SIX  miles     It  seems  probable  that  they  also  entered  the  Keune- 

bunk  and  York  Rivers.     Finding  no  natives  to  trade  with    hev 

sailed  farther  south  where  they  obtained  quite  a  vahiabtlt^ 

The  same  year  (1603)  Henry  IV.  of  Fi-ance  issued  a  patent 

panting  to  De  Moots  the  region  of  North  America  between  the 

ortieth  and  forty-sixth  degrees  of  latitude  ;  that  is,  all  the  to  ' 

tory  between  the  island  of  Cape  Breton  and  the  mouth  o    the 

Hudson  River.    There  was  no  western  boundary  but  the  Pac  fl 

Ocean.    He  was  entitled  to  the  exclusive  trade  with  the  natTve, 

and  was  authorized  to  colonize  and  rule  this  vast  territory  accord- 

.ng  to  his  discretion.     This  realm  of  truly  imperial  territorial 

grandeur  was  called  Acadia,  a  corruption  of  Arcadia  in  Greec" 

De  Mont,  fi«t  made  the  land  near  the  present  site  of  W 

aCund  CaTs  n"\  "  ""  T  *"  "'"  "'  ^^y.  1604.    SaiUng 
around  Cape  Sable,  he  entered  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  and,  eruisinff 

wl       Tn""  '"T'  '"""^  ""  »^""™'''<'  '"'^''o;.  endued  by 
protecting  hills,  and  yet  opening  to  fertile  valleys.    This  place 

British  Dominion  in  America,  book  iii.  part  ii  24B     Snr^  i  . 
the  name  was  derived  from  an  Indian  tribe  *  "«'"*"^  *^** 


•I 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


was  selected  for  the  location  of  a  small  colony,  and  it  received 
the  name  of  Port  Royal.  Subsequently,  upon  the  province 
being  ceded  to  England,  the  name  was  changed  to  Annapolis, 
in  honor  of  the  British  queen  Anne.  This  was  in  the  extreme' 
west  of  the  present  province  of  Nova  Scotia. 

De  Monts,  leaving  a  companion,  M.  Poutrincourt,  in  charge  of 
the  colony,  continued  his  voyage.^  Crossing  the  Bay  of  Fundy 
to  what  is  now  New  Brunswick,  he  discovered  a  large  river,  to 
which  ho  gave  the  name  of  St.  John,  which  name  it  still  retains. 
He  then  continued  his  course  to  Passamaquoddy  Bay,  now  the 
extreme  euatern  border  of  the  State  of  Maine.  He  explored  this 
bay,  and  ascended  the  St.  Croix  and  Schoodic  Rivers  to  an  island 
containing  about  fifteen  acres.  It  being  late  in  fall,  De  Monts 
decided  to  pass  the  winter  there.  Selecting  a  spot  easy  of 
defence,  in  the  midst  of  a  grand  forest  which  afforded  shelter 
from  the  piercing  northern  winds,  he  built  several  log-cabins  for 
his  men. 

The  winter  was  very  severe,  so  that  they  kept  much  of  the 
time  within  their  dwellings.  Occasionally  savages  were  seen ; 
and  it  would  appear  that  De  Monts  stood  in  great  fear  of  them! 
He  planted  cannon  to  command  the  approaches,  kept  a  constant 
watch  night  and  day,  and  seems  to  have  discouraged  all  advances 
on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  He  was  probably  unwilling  to  have 
them  know  his  weakness.  His  people  suffered  terribly  from 
the  scurvy.  Out  of  a  ship's  company  of  about  eighty,  thirty-six 
died  during  the  winter.^ 

It  was  not  until  the  middle  of  May  that  the  survivors  were 
able  to  re-embark  in  search  of  a  milder  climate.  '  Coasting  west- 
wardly,  they  entered  Penobscot  Bay.  Thence,  continuing  their 
cruise,  they  cast  anchor  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec.  Here 
De  Monts  raised  a  cross,  and  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  France.  He  traversed  Casco  Bay,  occa- 
sionally casting  anchor  at  attractive  spots  along  the  silent 
shores,  which  seemed  to  invite  a  settlement.  But  his  company 
being  greatly  diminished,  and  the  Indians  being  manifestly 

1  In  reference  to  this  settlement,  see  Holmes's  Am.  Ann.,  p.  148 
a  History  of  De  Monts*  Voyages,  par  Mark  L'Esoarbot,  triiisiated  in  Churchill'a 
CoU.,  p.  79a    L'  Escarbot  accompanied  De  Monts  on  this  expedition. 


THE  niSrORY  OF  MAINE.  38 

unfriendly  08  well  they  might  be,  after  going  as  far  south  as 
Cape  Cod,  he  returned  to  Port  Royal. 

Here  De  Monts  found  another  ship  from  France,  and  an  acces. 
r  1  .7  ^  "'?,''  ^treuQiheu  the  colony.  He  constructed  a 
fo.t,budt  several  log-houses,  and,  having  given  minute  direction 
for  the  management  of  aflFairs,  returned  to  France.  Four 
gentlemen  of  much  distinction  were  left  to  administer  the 
government  of  the  colony,  and  to  explore  the  country 

Rumors  of  these  important  movements  reached  the  British 
government  The  immensity  of  the  territory  which  France 
claimed,  and  the  efforts  of  the  French  to  colonize  those  countries 
created  alarm.  The  Earl  of  Southampton,  with  Lord  Arundel  Ind 
othei^  under  the  patronage  of  the  crown,  fitted  out  a  shin  to 
visit  these  coasts.  The  object  proclaimed  was  to  find  a  north- 
west  passage  to  India.  The  real  object  was  to  watcli  the 
proceedings  of  the  French,  and  to  prepare  the  way  fo  he 
establishment  of  English  colonies.  >^ay  lor  tne 

saitw ''"fT,^-'"n '^''  "«"-^"^"J«hed  ship,  "  The  Archangel," 
sailed  from  the  Downs  on  the  31st  of  March,  1605.  Capt. 
George  Weymouth  was  in  command.  On  the  12th  of  May  the 
white  sands  of  Cape  Cod  hove  in  sight.  He  directed  hircourse 
northerly  toward  the  coast  of  Maine.  On  the  17th  he  came  L 
an  island  about  six  miles  from  the  shore,  and  about  noon  cast 
anchor  upon  its  north  side. 

The  island,  to  his  eyes  weary  of  gazing  upon  the  drear 
expanse  of  the  ocean,  appeared  very  beautiful.  He  judged  the 
IS  and  to  be  about  six  miles  in  circumference,  embracing  f  a  ea 
of  a  thousand  acres.  The  anchorage  was  good,  and  cod  and  had' 
dock  w«re  caught  in  abundance.     Waterfowl  in  large  flocks 

long-boat,  and  took  possession  of  the  island  in  the  name  of  King 

thaTtL  Ch^ -T       ^r '•''"'•     ""'  "^^^  ^^^^*«^  ^  --'  -  token 
that  the  Christian  religion  was  to  be  there  established.    He  soon 

after  gave  a  very  terrible  exhibition  of  his  practical  piety.    From 

hs  mast-head  he  discerned  far  away  in  the  distanc'e  the  peaks 

Geor^e^'lt "'"'"""     l""  *'^  ^^^^"^  ^^^^^  '^^  name  of  St 
STof  M^^r^'^'''  ''-'''-'  ''^'  ^^^«  ™  the  present 


34 


THE  HISTORY  Oh'  MAINE 


After  a  tuny  hero  of  two  days,  taking  in  wood  and  water,  on 
Sunday  the  lUth  Weymouth  again  spread  his  sails,  and,  passing 
several  other  islands,  reached  the  mainland  at  the  distance  of 
about  nine  miles.  Rosier,  the  historian  of  the  voyage,  writes: 
♦'  It  pleased  God  to  send  us,  far  beyond  our  expectations,  in  a 
most  safe  berth,  defended  from  all  winds,  in  an  excellent  depth 
of  water  for  ships  of  any  burden,  and  which  was  named  Pente- 
cost Harbor." 

Weymouth,  with  a  well-armed  party,  explored  the  shores : 
others  engaged  in  fishing.  They  obtained  an  abundance  of 
delicious  salmon,  and  other  fishes  v\  great  variety.  They  also 
feasted  upon  lobsters  and  other  shell-fish.  Wild  currants  were 
found,  and  luxuriant. vines  which  promised  an  abundance  of 
grapes.  They  found  the  soil  to  be  very  rich.  Digging  a  gar- 
den, they  planted  pease,  barley,  and  other  seeds,  which  in  sixteen 
days  grew  up  eight  inches.  This  was  the  first  attempt  made 
by  Europeans  to  cultivate  the  soil  of  Maine. 

Fourteen  well-armed  men  were  sent  out  in  a  boat  on  an 
exploring  tour.  From  the  account  given,  it  is  supposed  that 
they  visited  Squirrel  Island  and  Cape  Newagen.  In  accordance 
with  the  custom  of  the  times,  Weymouth  raised  a  cross  upon 
every  important  point  at  which  he  touched.  On  the  30th  of 
May,  Capt.  Weymouth,  leaving  fourteen  men  in  charge  of  the 
ship,  which  was  carefully  moored,  took  thirteen  men,  in  the 
pinnace,  to  survey  the  channels  and  the  adjoining  region. 

About  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  this  day  three  canoes 
were  seen,  in  a  distant  part  of  the  harbor,  moving  towards  the 
ship.  They  landed  upon  a  point  not  far  from  the  anchorage, 
and  the  men  built  a  fire.  The  crew  of  "  The  Archangel "  tried  to 
make  friendly  signs,  and  beckoned  them  to  come  on  board.  Soon 
a  canoe,  with  three  men,  put  off  from  the  shore.  Drawing 
near,  one  of  the  men,  standing  up  in  the  canoe,  hailed  the  crew 
in  a  loud  tone  of  voice,  but  in  language  which  they  could  not 
understand. 

The  crew  exhibited  knives,  hatchets,  beads,  and  other  trin- 
kets, to  lure  them  on  board.  But  the  Indians  had  doubtless 
heard  of  the  fiendlike  treachery  which  previous  European  vis- 
itants had  practised.     They  dared  not  trust  themselves  with 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MA/NE. 


SA 


men  who  had  been  guilty  of  kidnapping  crimes,  at  which  even 
savages  might  blush.  But  the  bribe  presented  was  almost 
resistless.  Cautiously  they  paddled  alongside.  A  few  articles 
were  tossed  to  tlieni,  which  they  recjived  with  evident  delight ; 
but  nothing  could  induce  them  to  go  on  board  the  ship.  They 
soon  returned  to  their  companions  on  the  shore. 

This  ojinoe  was  of  birch-bark.  The  Indians  were  men  of 
ordinary  size,  and  of  very  symmetrical  forms.  Their  bodies 
and  faces  were  painted  with  various  colors.  They  were  very 
slightly  dressed,  with  mantles  of  neatly  tanned  deer-skin  fas- 
tened around  the  neck,  and  hanging  nearly  to  the  knees ;  a  flap 
of  beuver-skin  covered  the  loins ;  and  their  feet  were  shod  with 
leather  buskins.  The  hair  on  the  top  of  the  head  was  long» 
and  bound-  in  a  tuft. 

The  next  morning,  apparently  the  same  men  came  alongside 
again.  They  were  finally  induced  to  come  on  board.  They 
ate  heartily  of  the  food  which  was  presented,  and  gazed  with 
astonishment  upon  the  various  objects  which  met  their  eyes. 
IJeing  informed,  by  signs,  that  the  object  of  the  expedition  was 
to  open  a  friendly  trade  with  the  Indians,  exchanging  with 
them  hatchets,  knives,  and  other  articles,  for  skins  and  furs, 
they  seemed  much  pleased,  and  returned  to  their  companions 
on  the  shore  in  a  very  happy  frame  of  mind. 

It  is  inferred,  from  the  narrative,  that  Weymouth,  in  his 
pinnace,  ran  along  the  coast  to  the  north-east  about  sixty  milee 
that  he  entered  Penobscot  Bay,  and  ascended  the  river  as  far 
as  Camden  Heights,  there  they  landed,  and  spent  a  day  in  hunt- 
ing. They  then  followed  up  the  stream  as  far  as  Belfast  Bay. 
Here  they  erected  a  cross ;  "  which,"  Rosier  writes,  "  was  a 
thing  never  omitted  by  any  Christian  travellers." 

The  charms  of  Penobscot  Bay  and  River,  as  witnessed  in  the 
illumination  of  bright  June  mornings,  seem  to  have  delighted 
these  voyagers  as  they  had  others  who  preceded  them.  The 
scenery  is  described  as  beautiful  in  the  extreme,  with  luxuriant 
forests  and  verdant  meadows.  The  river  was  wide,  deep,  and 
of  crystal  purity.  A  great  variety  of  birds  of  varied  plumage 
flitted  through  the  groves,  and  their  songs  filled  the  air.  There 
were  many  sheltered  groves,  with  grassy  banks,  luring  the  vov- 


I 


86 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


agers  to  the  shore.    In  glowiug  phrase  the  journalist  of  the 
expedition  writes, — 

Jl^'Tl^lT  ^''T  '"^""^'1  ^  '''''^'^  ''"'^°*"««'  ^"^^  ^  «»<'«*  famous 
W^'^pf ,  K      "'^^.^^''P^'-^W^  to  tW«-    It  is  the  most  beautiful,  rich, 

large,  secure-harbonng  river  that  the  world  affordeth. " 

The  shallop  returned  to  the  ship.  There  is  some  diversity 
of  opinion  as  to  the  spot  of  this  anchorage.  Some  have  supposed 
It  to  be  at  what  is  now  caUed  Townsend  Harbor  in  Boothbay 
other,  think  that  the  vessel  was  moored  in  the  harbor  of  what  is 
called  Fisherman's  Island. 

^  The  Indians  began  to  regain  confidence,  and  soon  twenty- 
eight  appeared.      GraduaUy  they  went  on  board    the    ship 
Quite  a  brisk  trade  was  carried  on  in  the  exchange  of  knives 
beads,  and  such  articles,  for  the  skins  of  the  beaver,  the  otter' 
and  the  Eible.    The  natives  were  quite  astonished  at  the  process 
of  writing,  and  watched  wifth  intense   curiosity  the   writing- 
down  the  names  of  the  articles  bought  and  sold.     The  captain 
excited  their  amazement  by  magnetizing  the  point  of  his  sword 
and  then  taking  up  with  it  needles,  knives,  and  other  such 
articles. 

Two  of  the  Indians  were  invited  to  sup  with  the  captain : 
and  they  remained  to  attend  the  evening  religious  service. 
They  behaved  with  the  utmost  decorum.  Very  modestly,  and 
with  bnd  regard  for  their  wives  and  daughters,  which  was 
hardly  to  be  expected,  they  asked  the  favor  that  a  portion  of  a 
dehcious  dish  of  pease  might  be  sent  to  the.  ladies  It  was 
given  to  them  in  pewter  dishes,  which  in  their  eyes  were  more 
splendid  than  plates  of  gold  to  their  entertainers.  The  dishes 
were  all  carefully  brought  back. 

Some  of  the  ship's  company  visited  the  little  Indian  encamp, 
ment  on  the  shore.  They  were  treated  with  all  the  hospitality 
which  could  possibly  be  shown.  A  large  fire  was  built,  around 
which  the  Indians  silently  and  respectfully  gathered.  Seats 
were  carefully  prepared  for  the  guests,  with  cushions  of  deer- 
Jkm.  Ihe  Indians  had  no  delicacies  with  which  to  feast  them 
but  they  offered  pipes  and  tobacco.  The  interview  was  a  very 
pleasant  one,  though  it  could  only  be  carried  on  by  siens      Thl 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


z\ 


bows,  arrows,  and  javelins  of  the  Indians  were  examined.  The 
bows  were  very  strong:  a  feeble  arm  could  scarcely  bend  them; 
but  sinewy  muscles  would  throw  an  arrow  to  a  great  distance. 
The  javelins  were  very  skilfully  made  of  wood,  which  had 
almost  the  toughness  and  flexibility  of  steel.  They  were  barbed 
with  some  very  hard  bone. 

One  of  the  ship's  company,  Owen  Griffin,  was  left  on  shore 
for  the  night.  He  was  watchfully  to  observe  every  movement, 
to  see  if  there  were  any  indications  of  treachery.  Three  of 
the  Indians  were  taken  back  to  the  ship  as  hostages  for  the 
safety  of  Griffin.  The  sumptuous  couch  prepared  for  the  sav- 
ages was  a  mattress  of  old  sails  spread  on  what  is  called  the 
orlop  deck.  There  were  one  or  two  dogs  on  board.  It  would 
seem  that  these  Indians  were  not  very  kindly  received  by  the 
fierce  dogs  of  the  English  :  they  stood  in  great  terror  of  them, 
and  feared  to  move  abcut  until  the  dogs  were  tied  up. 

The  Indians,  of  course,  knew  nothing  of  the  sabbath.  On 
Sunday  morning  five  or  six  canoes  came  out,  as  usual,  for  traffic. 
Apparently  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  ship  was  spreading 
back  into  the  country,  and  daily  new  parties  of  Indians  were 
arriving  at  their  encampment.  Capt.  Weymouth  waved  a 
signal  for  the  canoes  to  retire.  Though  the  reason  must  have 
been  a  great  mystery  to  them,  they  all  obeyed  promptly,  and 
did  not  return  to  the  ship  again  during  the  day. 

But  it  was  a  picturesque  scene,  as,  in  the  sunlight  of  that 
calm  June  sabbath,  the  voyagers  gazed  upon  the  panorama 
which  encircled  them.  The  ship  was  at  anchor  upon  the  mir- 
rored waters  of  a  solitary  cove,  far  away  in  the  New  World. 
Bays,  inlets,  and  islands  were  opening  in  all  directions  behind 
them.  Birch  canoes  filled  with  Indian  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, driven  by  the  paddle,  were  gliding  from  shore  to  shore. 
Not  tar  from  the  ship,  on  the  land,  were  the  few  frail  wigwams 
which  the  Indians  had  reared.  The  fire  at  which  the  women 
were  cooking,  the  ascending  smoke,  the  groups  gathered  around, 
all  combined  to  present  a  picture  as  novel  as  it  was  attractive. 

Early  the  next  morning,  June  3,  the  canoes  of  the  natives 
again  approached  the  ship.  Capt.  Weymouth  understood 
them  to  signify,  by  their  signs,  that  their  chief,  with  many  of 


88 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


his  followers,  was  at  a  little  distance  up  the  bay,  with  many 
turs.  The  captain  manned  one  of  his  boats  with  eight  strong 
rowers.  First  they  rowed  towards  a  point  of  land  where  the 
smoke  of  Indian  fires  was  seen. 

There  was  a  birch  canoe,  propelled  by  but  three  paddles, 
which   brought   the    invitation   to   Capt.    Weymouth   to   visit 
the  chief.     It  was  noted  Ihat  the  Indians,  apparently  with  the 
greatest   ease,  could    outstrip    the   boat,  notwithstanding   the 
utmost  efforts  of  the  rowers.     The  savages  would  run  ahead, 
drop  behind,  circle  round  the  boat,  and  play  all  manner  of  simi- 
lar  antics.     Capt.  Weymouth,  who  soon  after  proved  himself 
capable  of  committing  the  most  atrocious  acts  of  treachery 
naturally  suspected  treachery  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.     He 
therefore  sent  Owen  Griffin  on  shore  in  the  canoe,  while  he 
retained  one  of  the  Indians  in  the  boat  as  a  dostage.     Griffin 
was  carefully  to  reconnoitre  the  encampment  of  the  chief,  and 
to  bring  back  his  report. 

The  Indians  seemed  to  attempt  no  disguise.     There  were  two 
hundred  and  eighty  with  the  chief.     They  all  had,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  bows  and  arrows.      There  were    dogs  and  tamed 
wolves  with  them.     It  did  not  seem  that  they  had  any  furs  at 
the  point  of  land  for  traffic ;  but  they  urged  him  to  go  farther 
up  the  stream  now  called  Little  River,  where  they  said  that 
their  articles  were  stored.     Griffin  did  not  dare  to  go.     But  he 
was  just  as  much  in  their  p  wer  at  the  point  as  half  a  mile  far- 
ther  back  ;  and  the  Indian  hostage  was  still  in  the  boat.     Had 
the  Indians  anything  to  conceal,  they  would  hardly  have  invited 
him  to   a   more   thorough    examination   of  their  strength  and 
resources.  &        uu 

Griffin  returned  to  the  boat  with  the  report  which  his  timidity 
suggested.  Under  these  circumstances  Capt.  Weymouth  did 
not  think  it  safe  to  land.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  proof 
whatever  of  treachery  :  still,  as  the  Indians  might  not  be  more 
reliable  than  the  Europeans  were,  it  was  necessary  to  practise 
the  utmost  caution.     The  boat  returned  to  the  ship 

That  day  the  crew  caUght,  from  the  ship's  side,  a  large  num- 
ber of  cod  and  haddock.  They  also  took  many  large  lobsters. 
A  party  was  sent  on  shore  for  water,  and  returned  with  their 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


39 


cask  filled  from  a  clear  crystal  spring.  Mussels  abounded 
among  the  rocks,  and  in  many  of  tliem  they  found  small 
pearls. 

It  appears  that  the  natives,  from  some  unexplained  reason, 
had  their  suspicions  again  aroused,  that  Capt.  Weymouth  might 
prove  a  foe  in  disguise.  Two  canoes,  containing  six  men,  cau- 
tiously approached  the  ship.  They  seemed  afraid  to  go  On 
board.  At  length  two  ventured  to  ascend  the  ship's  side. 
Capt.  Weymouth  endeavored  to  lure  the  rest  on  board,  but  in 
vain.  He  exhibited  to  them  a  plate  of  savory  pease,  of  which 
they  were  very  fond :  still  they  shook  their  heads.  He  gave 
them  the  pease.  Rapidly  they  paddled  ashore,  and  ate  them. 
Having  finished  their  repast,  one  of  the  Indians,  a  very  hand- 
some, athletic,  bold  youth,  returned  with  the  can  to  the  ship. 
He  was  lured  to  join  the  two  in  the  cabin  below,  where  they 
were  entertained  with  food,  and  the  exhibition  of  articles  to 
excite  their  wonder.  They  knew  not  that  the  cabin-door  was 
locked  against  them,  and  that,  by  the  foulest  treachery,  they 
were  kidnapped. 

Capt.  Weymouth  was  not  satisfied  with  but  three  victims. 
He  manned  one  of  his  boats  with  a  crew  of  eight  of  his 
stoutest  men,  and  sent  them  on  shore,  as  if  to  traffic  with  the 
natives.  Theie  were  but  three  Indians  on  the  shore.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  three  were  already  locked  up  in 
in  the  cabin.  As  the  boat  touched  the  land,  one  of  the  Indi- 
ans withdrew  into  the  woods.  The  kidnappers  approached  the 
other  two  with  signs  of  friendship,  and,  as  proof  of  their 
brotherly  intentions,  sat  down  with  them  around  their  fire,  and 
presented  them  with  another  can  of  pease.  They  all  ate  to- 
gether in  the  most  friendly  manner. 

Watching  their  opportunity,  and  dividing  their  force,  suddenly 
four  of  tiie  crew  sprang  upon  each  one  of  their  victims.  The 
poor  Indians  made  the  most  frantic  resistance,  and  raised  loud 
outcries  for  help.  Their  struggles  were  in  vain.  Their  light 
clothing  was  soon  torn  from  them.  Naked,  in  the  grasp  of  the 
men-stealers,  they  were  dragged  to  the  boat,  and  rowed  to  the 
ship.  Here  the  convulsive  struggles  and  shrieks  were  renewed. 
But  the   Indians   were   seized   by  the   hair  of   the  head,  and 


40 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


dragged  on  board.  "  Thus,"  writes  Rosier,  the  historian  of  the 
voyage,  "we  shipped  five  savages  and  two  canoes,  with  all 
their  bows  and  arrows."  ^ 

Edmund  Burke  says,  that  to  speak  of  atrocious  crime  in  mild 
language,  is  treason  to  virtue.  Every  honest  man's  blood 
should  boil  with  indignation  in  contemplating  a  crime  so 
utterly  atrocious  and  inexcusable  as  this.  These  young  men 
had  come  from  their  homes  at  Pemaquid  to  visit  the  strangers, 
the  tidings  of  whose  arrival  had  reached  them.  One  of  them 
was  a  chief.     They  were  all  men  of  rank. 

The  first  Indian  who  visited  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  at  Ply- 
mouth, was  Squantum,  one  of  these  unhappy  captives.  Fortu- 
nately he  fell  into  kind  hands  in  England,  and,  forgetting  the 
crime  of  the  men  who  stole  him,  became  the  warm  friend  of 
those  who  proved  his  benefactors.  By  them  he  was  restored  to 
his  native  country.  It  is  believed  that  he  became  a  sincere 
Christian.  His  final  career  is  quite  fully  given  in  the  Life  of 
Miles  Staudish,  as  given  in  the'  «  Pioneer  and  Patriot "  series. 
With  dying  breath  he  prayed  that  the  Lord  would  receive  him 
to  the  Englishman's  heaven. 

Scarcely  had  these  captives  been  made  secure  below,  when, 
about  one  o'clock  at  noon,  two  large  and  highly  decorated 
canoes  were  seen  approaching.  They  composed  a  royal  embassy 
sent  by  the  head  chief  of  the  Pemaquid  tribes.  They  were 
painted  and  dressed  in  the  highest  style  of  the  barbarian  court. 
One  of  them  wore  a  very  ingeniously  constructed  coronet,  indi- 
cating that  he  was  of  royal  blood.  They  came  with  an  invita- 
tion for  Capt.  Weymouth  to  visit,  with  his  ship,  the  home  of 
their  chief,  which  was  distant  but  a  few  leagues.  Little  did 
they  imagine,  as  they  trod  the  deck  of  "  The  Archangel,"  bear- 
ing this  kind  invitation  to  the  strangers,  that  five  of  their 
noblest  men  were  languishing  in  a  dark  dungeon  in  the 
hold. 

Weymouth,  who  was  now  anxious  to  get  away  from  the  region 
as  soon  as  possible,  before  the  knowledge  of  his  villany  should 
be  spread  abroad,  declined  the  invitation.      He   allowed  the 


1  2  Belk.  Biog.,   135. 
Doininiona,  p.  C8. 


Smitb'8  Hist.,  p.  18.    Prince's  Ann.,  p.  15.    Ancient 


THE  HISTORY  OP  MAINE. 


41 


embassy  to  retire  unmolested.  Probably  lie  had  not  room 
enough,  in  his  small  and  crowded  ship,  for  more  than  five 
captives. 

Immediately  he  made  all  sail,  directing  his  course  westerly. 
There  are  nowhere  on  the  North-American  continent,  shores  of 
more  picturesque  and  sublime  beauty  than  on  the  coast  of  Maine. 
No  description  can  do  justice  to  the  wonderful  variety  of  scenery 
presented  by  islands,  craggy  promontories,  forest-crowned  cliffs, 
inlets,  bays,  and  coves. 
-       Through  these  charming  views  "The  Archangel "  moved  can- 
tiously  along  about  twenty-six  miles,  until  the  mouth  of  the 
Kennebec,  then  called  the  Sagadahock,  was  reached.     It  appears 
that  the  Kennebec  and  the  Androscoggin  in  the  days  of  the 
Indians  were  considered  as  terminating  at  what  is  now  called 
Merrymeeting  Bay.    The  outlet  from  that  bay  to  the  ocean,  now 
called  the  Kennebec,  was  then  called  the  Sagadahock.     The 
Androscoggin,  from  Lewiston  Falls  to  Merrymeeting  Bay,  was 
formerly  called  the  Pejepscot.i 

Prince  says  that  Weymouth  entered  the  Sagadahock  through 
Pemaquid  River.  This  is  a  small  stream  but  fourteen  miles  in 
length  from  its  source  in  Pemaquid  Pond  to  its  mouth.a  Thus, 
by  what  may  be  called  an  inland  passage,  he  reached  the  solitary 
waters  of  the  river  wliich  may  now  be  considered  the  second  in 
importance  in  Maine. 

.ni'Z^f  "^«r."  he  writes.  "  as  it  runneth  up  into  the  main  very  nigh  forty 
miles,  toward  the  great  mountains,  beareth  in  breadth  a  milef  sometiiZ 
three  quarters,  and  a  lialf  at  the  narrowest.    And  you  sliall  never  have 
under  four  or  five  fathoms  water  hard  by  the  shore,  and  on  both  sides 
every  half  mile,  very  gallant  coves."  ' 

Soon  after  enterijig  the  river,  «  The  Archangel "  cast  anchor ; 
and  the  captain  took  a  boat,  and,  with  a  crew  of  seventeeii  well- 
armed  men,  rowed  several  miles  up  the  stream.  Then,  touch- 
ing the  shore,  six  men  were  left  to  g.iard  the  boat,  while  the 
remaining  eleven,  the  captain  included,  set  out  to  explore  the 
country  in  the  direction  of  some  hills  which  they  had  seen  from 
the  ship,  but  which  proved  to  be  at  a  much  greater  distance  than 
had  been  supposed.    They  travelled  five  miles  inland,  through  a 


>  WilHanuon'i  Hist,  of  Maine,  vol.  1.  pp.  42-46. 


•New  Eag!an<'.  Chros.,  p.  15. 


42 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


region  which  seemed  to  thein  exceedingly  beautiful.     The  his- 
torian writes,  in  the  quaint  style  of  ancient  days, — 

"  In  our  marcb  we  passed  over  very  good  ground,  pleasant  and  fertile,  fit 
for  pasture,  having  but  little  wood,  and  that  oak;  like  stands,  left  in  the 
pastures  of  England,  good  and  great,  fit  timber  for  any  use. 

"  And  surely  it  did  all  resemble  a  stately  park,  wherein  appear  some  old 
trees  with  high  withered  tops,  and  others  flourishing  with  living  green 
boughs.  Upon  the  h^' .  ,-frew  notable  high  timber  trees,  masts  for  ships  of 
four  hundred  tons." 

Soon  after  the  boat  returned  from  this  exploring  expedition 
to  the  ship,  an  Indian  canoe  appeared,  rapidly  approaching' 
from  one  of  the  numerous  inlets  on  the  east.  It  was  propelled 
by  the  paddles  of  many  men,  and  contained  the  royal  ambassa- 
dor who  had  conveyed  the  invitation  to  Capt.  Weymouth  to  visit 
the  head  chief.  He  had  heard  of  the  captain's  treachery  and 
of  the  captivity  of  his  friends.  Eager  eyes  had  watched  the 
course  of  the  ship.  This  Indian  prince  had  followed  in  her 
track,  that  he  might,  if  possible,  rescue  his  kidnapped  country- 
men ;  and,  if  that  were  impossible,  that  he  might  warn  other 
families,  of  the  fiends  who  were  hoveting  along  their  coasts. 

Their  tears  and  supplications  were  all  in  vain.  They  were  as- 
powerless  as  the  lamb  in  the  jaws  of  the  wolf.  With  wailings 
they  returned  to  the  families  of  the  kidnapped  men  with  the  full 
conviction  that  tlie  white  man  was  a  demon  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  the  most  ferocious  beast  or  the  most  venomous  reptile ; 
and  that  it  was  the  consequent  duty  of  the  Indian  to  kill  the 
white  man  whenever  and  wherever  he  could. 

The  lapse  of  a  century  could  not  eiface  from  the  minds  of  the 
Indians  a  sense  of  the  outrage  of  which  they  had  been  the  vic- 
tims. Tiie  story  descended  from  father  to  son.  Desire  for  ven- 
geance burned  in  the  Indian's  breast.  The  very  name  of  English- 
men became  hateful.  The  sight  of  an  Englishman,  with  his  long 
and  glittering  sword  and  his  death-dealing  bullet,  appalled  them. 
If  Weymouth  had  intended  to  render  all  future  friendly  inter- 
course with  the  Indians  impossible,  he  could  not  have  adopted 
measures  better  adapted  to  accomplish  his  ends.^ 

'  It  is  due  to  the  memory  of  Wayraouth  to  state  his  purpose  in  capturing 
the  Indians.  It  was  not  to  sell  them  into  slavery,  or  make  gain  of  them, 
but  to  obtain  from  them  a  knowledge  of  their  country  to  bo  imparted  to 

those  interested    in    makinjy   n.    Rptilomonf    flitJin     irj.iin  ,.,.    *i,«    „ <. 

Waymouth  treated  witli  great  kindness  all   the  natives  Lc  encountered. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  43 

«  JVk"^  ^  ^'i'  '"^'''"^'  ^'  ^™^a^ked  in  a  boat,  with  a  well- 
armed  band  and  ascended  the  river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Andros- 

t^f»ff  .  '"'  tf ''  ''^'^^'"'  ceremonies,  he  planted  the  cross, 
Jnndl'«l??  '"  T  °^  '^''"^  Christ,  -of  that  religion  whos^ 
fundamental  principle  is  that  God  is  our  common  father,  and  all 
men  are  brothers.  Thus  he  said  to  the  Indian,  "It  /a  in  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ  that  I  have  kidnapped  your  friends.  It  is 
ChriHtianity  which  authori.es  these  deeds.  Some  of  my  coun- 
trymen will  soon  appear  to  teach  you  to  embrace  this  religion." 
Weymouth  now  made  preparations  to  return  to  England. 

leddening  the  horizon  over  the  headland  of  Arrowsic,  he  weighed 
anchor  The  tide,  but  not  the  wind,  was  in  his  f^vor.  Two 
boats  ahead  towed  "The  Archangel "  down  the  stream  until 
noon  when  the  anchor  was  again  cast.  The  next  day,  the  wind 
favoring  "  The  Archangel "  ran  back  to  her  former  anchorage 

h^^ri^^;i7ir'^^^ 

There  has  been  much  discussion  respecting  the  precise  locality 
of  these  opera, ons.  The  question  will  probably  never  be  se^ 
tied  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  the  curious  in  antiquarian 

that_    The  Archangel  "entered  its  anchorage  from  Monhegan 
by  Pemaquid  Point  between  Liniken's  Neck  and  Fisherman's 
Island.    Anchor  was   then  cast  between   this  and  Squirrel's 
Those  whom  he  captured,  after  recovering  from  thflir  B»rr..i=        j    , 
^d  perceiving  by   their  kind  usage  that^r^ai^  wrfn    rrthem* 
became  contented  and  tractable,  and  very  willing  to^^nart  th«   nfl       ' 
t,on  desired  of  them.    Three  of  them  were  PuUn  chaSl  of  Sir  fLT 
na..do  Gorges,  and  the  other  two  were  probably   asSd  In  i-     t  u'" 
Popham.    Gorges,  who  has  been  well  called  'the  fathe^  of  En.t'l,      ," 
omzation  in  New  England,"  so  well  improved  i^  o^oZlyt^lt 
him  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  region  visited  by  Wayith   tbS  . 
says  the  capture  of  these  Indians  "  must  be  acknowledJ.!  ^r         '  , '® 

God  of  putting  on  foot  and  giving  life  to  aU^u^Xt^ 
purpose  to  return  the  savages  to  their  homes  and  two  nffi*  ?'% 

patched  by  Gorges  on  a  ship"  which  was  capTured  by  rSpaSs'one  o';^ 
them  was  subsequently  recovered      AnnfL^  ™„  x  ''P*"'*™^-    ^"6  of 

jnanded  bj  Capt'W.  ZT^,i  1^0™™^.,:;!;°  "'"T  °°°- 
the  following  year     Thus  at  lP5i«f  fi„...    *  .,     1  Popham  colony  in 


44 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


I 


Island.  ^  It  was  probably  on  the  beach  of  this  latter  island,  that 
the  natives  first  appeared  at  their  camp-fires.  The  two  who 
were  captured  by  violence  were  probably  taken  from  the  side 
of  the  cliff  of  Fisherman's  Island.  The  Pentecost  Harbor  of 
Weyuouth  was  the  Townsend  or  Boothbay  Harbor.  This  is 
situated  between  the  Sheepscot  and  the  Damariscotta  Rivers.^ 

Weymouth  on  his  homeward  voyage,  when  about  one  hun- 
dred miles  from  land,  found  the  water  gradually  shoaling. 
From  one  hundred  fathoms  it  dwindled  to  twenty-four  fathoms. 
One  day  he  was  becalmed.  As  his  vessel  rolled  upon  the 
mighty  swells  of  the  Atlantic,  one  of  the  sailors,  Thomas  King, 
cast  out  a  hook.  Almost  instantly  he  drew  up  a  very  large  fat 
codfish.  Other  hooks  were  cast  out,  and  the  fishes  were  taken 
almost  as  fast  as  the  lines  could  be  thrown  and  drawn.  Thus 
those  banks  were  discovered,  swarming  with  the  treasure  of  the 
deep,  which  have  subsequently  proved  such  a  blessing  to  man- 
kind. Some  time  before  this,  continental  fishermen  had  visited 
the  coasts  of  Maine.  ' 

>  Ancient  Dominions  of  Maine,  p.  73. 
Note.    The  river  whicli  Waymouth  ascended,  and  the  exact  locality  of 
Pentecost  Harbor,  have  been  matters  of  much  dispute.    The  theory  origi- 
nally adopted,  that  the  Penobscot  was  the  river  ascended,  has  now  been 
abandoned  by  general  consent.    In  1857,  John  McKeen,  Esq.,  in  a  paper 
read  before  the  Maine  Historical  Society,  took  the  ground  that  the  Pente- 
cost Harbor  of  Rosier's  narrative  was  Boothbay  Harbor,  and  that  the  river 
which  Weymouth  ascended  was  the  Kennebec,  from  which  he  passed  into 
the  Androscoggin.    R.  K.  Sewell,  Esq.,  has  ably  advocated  the  theory  that 
Waymouth  found  his  safe  anchorage  in  Fisherman's  Island  Harbor,  and 
that  he  entered  the  Kennebec  through  Townsend  Gut,  Sheepscot  Bay  and 
the  Sasanoa  River.    In  1858,  Capt.  George  Prince  of  Bath  started  the  theory 
that  Pentecost  Harbor  was  probably  George's  Island  Harbor,  that  the  very 
high  mountains  seen  by  Waymouth  were  the  Camden  Hills,  and  not  the  White 
Mountains,  and  that  the  river  which  he  ascended  must  have  been  George's, 
and  not  the  Penobscot  or  the  Kennebec.     This  theory  at  first  meeting  with 
much  objection,  gradually  gained  ground,  until  the  publication,  in  1887,  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Henry  S.  Burrage's  very  ably  annotated  edition  of  Rosier's  Rela- 
tion.   After  a  very  thorough  review  of  the  whole  question  and  all  the  liter- 
ature relating  to  it,  and  a  personal  view  of  the  route  which  must  have  been 
taken  by  Waymouth,  as  seen  from  Monhegan  and  the  George's  Islands,  Dr. 
Burrage  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  Pentecost  Harbor  was  undoubtedly 
Geoige's  Island  Harbor,  that  the  high  mountains  seen  were  the  Camden 
Hills,  and  that  the  river  ascended  by  Waymouth  was  the  Georj;j's.    The 
arguments  presented  by  Dr.  Burrage  seem  to  be  conclusive,  and  this  view 
of  the  long-disputed  question  is    probably  that  which  will  be  generally 
adopted  by  historical  students.  —  Elwell. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  EXPEDITION  OP  GOVERNOR  GEORGE  POPHAM. 

Fate  of  Weymouth's  Captives -Formation  of  the  Plymouth  Company -Dlsas- 
trous  Expeditions -Organization  of  Popham's  Colony-First  Sight  of 
L«.d-Visit  of  tl.e  Indian. -The  Landing  at  Pemaquid - Suspic  on  of 
the  Nat  ves- First  Religious  Service  In  Maine  -  Unavailing  Explorations  - 
Ascending  the  Sagadahock- The  Colony  located -Search  for  the  Penob- 
scot-Cruise  through  Casco  Bay -Exploring  the  Androscoggin -Adven- 
tures  with  the  Indians,  ^*         ^uven 

TTPON  the  return  of  Weymouth  to  England,  the  report  of 
^<^  his  discoveries  excited  wide-spread  and  deep  interest.  It 
was  indeed  a  glowing  account  which  he  could  give ;  for  the  sun 
shines  not  upon  more  lovely  bays  and  islands,  hills  and  vales, 
than  Maine  presents  when  reposing  beneath  the  genial  skies  of 
June  and  July.  No  one  seemed  disposed  to  question  him  too 
closely  respecting  his  mode  of  capture  of  the  Indian  nobles. 
They  were  all  men  well-formed,  good-looking,  and  of  much 
native  dignity  of  demeanor.  The  interest  they  excited  was 
universal;  and  it  is  certain  that  some  of  them,  if  not  all,  were 
very  kindly  treated. 

Three  of  them  were  received  into  the  family  of  Sir  Ferdi- 
nando  Gorges,  immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  the  ship  at 
Plymouth.  Gorges,  whose  name  subsequently  obtained  much 
renown,  was  governor  of  that  important  naval  depot.  He  was 
a  young  man  but  thirty  years  of  age,  and  his  conduct  develops 
a  very  noble  and  truly  Christian  character.  Sympathizing 
deeply  in  the  wrongs  the  captives  had  suflPered,  he  did  every 
thing  in  his  power  to  convert  their  calamity  into  a  blessing. 
Ihe  account  which  he  gives  of  the  character  which  these  untu- 
tored savages  developed,  is  interesting  and  valuable.  He 
writes :  — 


46 


TIIK  IIiaTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


•«  After  I  had  those  jjooplo  some  time  in  my  custody,  I  observed  in  them 
an  inoliimtion  to  follow  the  better  sort.  In  all  their  carriages  there  were 
maiiifimtHliowa  of  ^roat  civility,  far  from  the  ruiloness  of  our  common  peo- 
pie.  Th((  lonjfoi  I  couvi-rsed  with  them,  the  better  hope*  they  gave  me  of 
thoMc  parts  where  they  did  inhabit,  for  our  uhos,  especially  when  I  learned 
what  goodly  rivers,  stately  islands,  an- 1  safe  harbors  those  parts  abounded 
witli.  Tlu»e  Indiana  were  all  of  one  nation,  but  of  several  families.  This 
accident  must  bo  acknowledged  to  bo  the  means  of  God  of  puttuig  on  foot 
and  giving  life  to  all  our  plantations. "  » 

The  names  of  these  captives  from  the  shores  of  Pemaquid 
wrere  Nahanada,  Skitwarroea,  Assocomet,  Tisquantum,  and 
Dehamida.a  The  re^non  which  Weymouth  liad  visited  became 
a  subject  of  all-absorbing  interest  in  England.  It  was  deemed 
the  fairest  clime  in  the  New  World,  the  most  desirable  spot  for 
the  location  of  colonies.  It  was  said  that  nowhere  on  earth 
could  be  found  more  sunny  skies,  a  more  genial  clime,  or  more 
fertile  soil.  The  forests  were  of  unspeakable  grandeur,  the 
water  of  crystal  purity,  and  it'  was  a  luxury  to  breathe  its  salu- 
brious air. 

Speedily  an  association  of  English  gentlemen  was  formed  to 
plant  colonies  in  this  newly  found  Eden.  The  hypocrisy  of  the 
nominal  Christian  Weymouth,  by  no  means  proves  that  there 
might  not  be  other  true  Christian  men,  influenced  by  principles 
of  heartfelt  piety.  The  religion  which  Jesus  taught  undeniably 
is,  that,  to  please  God,  men  must  try  to  do  every  tiling  that  is 
right,  and  to  avoid  every  thing  tliat  is  wrong.  There  were 
many  English  gentlemen  of  the  highest  worth,  who  desired  to 
send  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel  to  tliese  their, benighted  breth- 
ren in  the  wigwam  and  the  forest. 

Several  of  these  men  associated  themselves  into  a  band  called 
the  Plymouth  Company.  They  were  intelligent  and  far-see- 
ing men,  who  believed  that  religion  and  civilization  must  go 
hand  in  hand.  They  would  send  to  the  shores  of  Pemaquid 
and  the  Sagadahock,  the  farmer,  the  carpenter,  and  the  school- 
master, with  the  Bible,  the  Christian  teacher,  and  the  organized 
church. 

James  I.  made  a  grant  to  this  company  of  all  the  territory 

»  See  Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  chap.  ii.  p.  a. 

•  Voyage  of  Weymouth,  by  Joho  MeKssn.  Est.  p,  S53, 


Tilt:  IIISTOHr  OF  MAIKE.  4} 

bet^reen  tlie  tlnrty-flftl,  „„d  the  forty-fiftl,  d«g,ee»  of  „„rtl,  l,.ti. 
tude  .„dud,„«aU  the  ya„d»  withu.  „„„  hundred  ™ih,»    'r  t 

:ra  Chi  ci:;v;'v;,;t:r "'"  "■""""—p""^  -^^^ 

Both  companies  were   united  under  the  »upcrvi»ion  of  « 
commatee  of  thirteen  .„en  re„idin«  in  Engl.n.f   -[":,  wer^ 

Virginia.     The  government    of   eaeh   eolony,  or  it.    interior 
affan-a,   w,«  conducted  by  a  council   of  thh'teen  .ek      me, 
residing  ,„  the  colony.    These  ruler,  could  coin  inon  y,  1^, 
llrituh  goods  free  of  duty,  could  lay  taxes,  and  expel  diordel 
persons  or  intruders.  uisorueriy 

Lord  Popham  and  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  were  prominent 
niembe™  o    the  Plymouth  Colony.    The  fifst  effor   S  ^L' 
made  to  eolonize  seems  to  have  liee,  very  feeble.     A  large  slfp 
was  provided  and  well  supplied,  but  carrying  only  thit^,  » 
njen,  including  the  crew.     Henry  Chalons  was  tie  eaptaT 
U»  was  indeed  a  small  number  to  establish  a  colony.     Two  of 
Weymouth's  captives,  Dehamaida  and  ^sseeomet;  were  also 
placed  on  board  this  ship,  to  be  returned  to  their  native  land 
Ihe  destination  of  the  expedition  wiu,  the  mouth  of  the  W 
dahock     The  ship  sailed  from  Bristol  in  the  year  1  06,  21 
ably  in  the  month  of  May.'  .»  "  i  oo,  piou- 

England  was  then  at  war  with  Spain.     The  ship  fell  in  with 
a  Spanish  fleet,  and  was  captured.    The  Spaniards  were  in  the 
I  abit  ot  makin,  slaves  of  the  Indians  as  they  could  catch  them 
ihe  ship  with  all  It,  inmates,  was  carried  as  a  prize  to  Spain. 

The  Wymouth  Company,  uninformed  of  the  disaster  which 
had  befallen  their  ship,  very  soon  sent  out  another,  unde 
Thomas  Hanham.    This  ship  bore  a  number   of   adiitiona 
colonists  with  fresh  supplies.     It  would  seem  that  Ha     am 
upon  reaching  the  Sagadahock,  and  hearing  no  tidings  of  Cha' 
Ions    returned  to  England.     "He  did  nothing  mofe,"  wri  es 
Wdliamson,  referring  to  the  authority  of  Prince,  "  tha^  to  new 
vamp  and  repeat  the  encouraging  accounts  of  the  country,  and 
thereby  enhven  and  perhaps  invigorate  the  spirit  of  adveiUm^  " 

»  Straokey,  the  historian  of  tha  vova«  so„=  iic„ 
Auuais  aa  hla  authority,  8a"B  August.     "^      ' 


~j- 


\yaiiiiia3oa,g:viug  Priuce's 


48 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


I 


Lord  John  Pophain,  the  most  conspicuous  member  of  the 
Plymouth  Company,  waa  chief  justice  of  England,  a  man  of 
weulth  and  of  the  highest  rank.  The  next  year,  two  vessels  were 
fitted  out  to  make  another  attempt  to  plant  a  colony  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Sagadiihock.  One  of  these,  called  •'  The  Gift  of 
God,"  was  commanded  by  George  Popham,  a  brother  of  Lord 
Popham.  Raleigh  Gilbert,  a  nephew  of  Popham,  was  captain 
of  the  other,  which  was  called  "  The  Mary  and  John."  One 
hundred  and  twenty  "  planters  "  were  taken  out  in  these  ships, 
and  a  large  supply  of  needful  tools  and  provisions.  There  are 
seme  trivial  diversities  as  to  the  details  which  are  given  of 
these  operations. 

Gorges  says  that  there  were  three  ships  in  the  expedition. 
Others  say,  that,  in  consequence  of  some  disappointment,  two 
only  were  equipped.  The  vessels  sailed  from  Plymouth,  the 
Slst  of  May,  1607.  Their  course  was  directed  to  the  island  of 
Monhegan.  The  voyage  was  long  but  propitious.  On  the 
Banks  they  stopped  to  fish  three  hours.  In  that  time  they 
caught  nearly  two  hundred  large  codfish,  and  said  that  they 
could  have  filled  their  ships  in  a  very  short  time. 

About  noon  of  the  Slst  of  July  they  came  in  sight  of 
some  island  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  where  they  cast  anchor. 
About  two  hours  afterward  a  boat  was  seen  approaching  from 
the  shore,  containing  eight  Indian  men  and  a  boy.  They  were 
many  leagues  distant  from  Pemaquid.  It  is  not  probable  that 
these  Indians  had  heard  of  the  kidnapping  crimes  of  Wey- 
mouth. At  first  they  were  very  unwilling  to. trust  themselves 
on  board.  They  rowed  around  the  ships,  gazed  upon  them  with 
much  curiosity,  but  kept  at  a  safe  distance. 

After  this  careful  examination,  they  began  to  return  towards 
the  land.  Soon  they  stopped,  held  a  short  consultation,  and 
then,  turning,  slowly  paddled  back  to  the  ship.  Three  of  them 
ventured  on  board.  The  other  six  made  for  the  shore,  having 
by  signs  intimated  that  they  would  return  the  next  day.  The 
next  day  they  came  back,  in  another  and  larger  boat,  laden 
with  beaver-skins.  Several  women  were  also  on  board.  It 
would  seem  that  Popham  and  Gilbert  were  very  different  men 
from  Weymouth. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  ^^ 

fraternal  traffic.     Tl,e  Zn'   " ,  ^  <"'"<''"^'«J-     It  was  » 

fu™,  and  the  native    ..etl/XhtT  T  r™*""'   ""^  ">» 
had  received  in  return  *      ''  """■  "''>'  ""i'^l^-  the/ 

happy  Indian,  returned  to  tht  Si'"'  '"  "'."  »■«'•  T« 
coming  of  the  white  men  The  voJ^  '''  '"J™"'"*  »'  'he 
gliding  over  a  m„on.ilun,i,«terr'"''"'?'"f'' "'''""''''•  ■""'• 
toward,  the  south-we  Thf  ^  '  "'?'"'  »'°"S  the  shore 
1607.  dawned  heantlly  up  .  Tr'^Th  *"  '"  "'  ^"^-'• 
along  ti,rough  enchanting  ZZIZ  J''T  T"-' ^''«Pt  gently 
crowned  cl.%,   which  it  Z^n^  "'"'''' ''»^''- ""'l  forest- 

fashioned  .„,.;e  a,  ■t::>re''anT,:a;p:L""'''^    """"   '■"" 

But  yet  it  i,  all  white  rook,    Jd™    ,      ""^.  '"■"^'  "''«  »»^- 

It  «  supposed  that  thi,  'promont  ™'*  '"'''  ^"''^  '"  'here." 

what  i,  now  called   Cane  ^      ,?     ■^  '""'  '"   ""c  west  wa, 

term,;^„,  of  thettn'T  Ph^pC  'xh"'"""^  ^^^'-» 
boundarie,  of  Sagadahock  Bav  Th  ^lu  '  "  "^  "^  the 
are  here  remarkably  Zl  Thev  c»  f  l"""  """  "'  ""^  «''e^ 
an  island,  a  few  miies  elt'of  tL  can?  T*""  ""''"  ">^  '««  »' 

It  appeai-3  from  StracW.  ?  '  *"''  ™'"'  Pemaquid.' 

the  InSn,  kidnTpperbyle Ilutr'  ""'  ?''^™™--  "-  "f 
and  John  ..  to  be  xTturneclTo Irf  e^d?  He  ""  "T'''  *""^ 
famdiar  with  all  the  localitie/n,f!K  T  was  undoubtedly 
manned  a  boat  with  four  el,  ""f  /^?°"-  ^apt.  Gilbert 
guide,  rowed  acros,  the  ba  .!!"',. T','"''"^  Skitwarroe,  ■  ,  a 
Skitwarroc,  conducted  ttml  I'X:  o'^tn'"  ''^""''■■■^• 
containuig  about  a  hundred  m,.,,  ,  J  °  ,  "'""'"  "'gwams 
It  will  be  remembered  t  "a 'uo  of  wf  "''-t""- 

-  --  ^.  -  spani::^:tXTrrrto  s^:.i' 

•  ^  "  Aadent  Doiidnions,  p.  34. 


60 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■ 


those  days  there  were  many  private  expeditions  fitted  out  to 
the  American  coast  for  fishing  and  trading.  In  some  unknown 
manner  Nahanada  had  found  his  way  back  to  his  childhood's 
home.  He  was  a  chief  of  high  rank,  and  chanced  to  be  at  that 
time  in  this  little  village.  It  is  supposed  that  this  was  within 
the  limits  of  the  present  town  of  Bristol. 

As  soon  as  the  Indians  caught  sight  of  the  white  men  they 
were  terror-stricken.  The  women  and  children  shrieked  and 
ran ;  the  men  seized  their  arms.  The  dispersion  was  like  that 
caused  by  the  leap  of  the  wolf  into  the  fold.  The  kidnapping 
Weymouth  had  taught  them  that  the  strangers  WQxn  as  much  to 
be  feared  as  demons  from  the  world  of  woe.  The  terrified 
Indians  did  not  recognize  Skitwarroes  in  his  European  garb, 
and  in  the  tumult  did  not  distinguish  his  voice,  calling  out  to 
them  not  to  be  alarmed. 

But  Nahanada  caught  sight  of  his  fellow-captive,  and  the  two 
instantly  recognized  each  other.  The  most  impressible  white 
men  could  not  have  manifested  more  joy  than  these  two  Indian 
chiefs  displayed,  in  thus  unexpectedly  meeting  again.  They 
threw  themselves  into  each  other's  arms,  and  the  fabled  stoicism 
of  the  Indian  entirely  disappeared.  The  influence  of  the  two 
soon  restored  tranquillity. 

Both  of  these  outraged  chiefs  had  received  in  England  the 
kindest  treatment.  They  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  true 
Christians,  who  fed  them,  clothed  them,  and  instructed  them. 
Every  thing  was  done  which  could  be  done  to  repair  the  wrong 
which  they  endured.  They  had  forgotten  the  crime  of  Wey- 
mouth in  gratitude  for  the  favors  which  had  been  lavished  upon 
them  in  London.  Thus  the  title  of  Englishmen  became  a  pass- 
port to  their  hearts. 

Two  happy  hours  were  passed  in  the  interchange  of  cordial 
greetings,  and  the  reception  by  the  strangers  of  such  hospitali- 
ties as  the  Indians  could  furnish.  The  boat's  crew  then  returned 
to  the  ship,  and  all  hearts  were  serene  and  joyous. 

The  next  day  was  the  sabbath.  It  was  the  9th  of  August, 
1607.  It  was  a  memorable  day ;  for  it  was  probably  the  first 
time  since  the  world's  creation  that  God,  as  revealed  to  us  in 
the  person  of  Jesus  Christ  his  ^<>n,  was  worshipped  upon  that 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  6j 

portion  of  the  globe's  surface  now  called  Maine.  Gloriously 
that  sabbath  morning's  sun  rose  over  the  magnificent  expanse 
of  islands,  promontories,  and  bays  of  a  yet  unexplored  world. 

Boats  were  manned  from  both  of  the  ships,  conveying  a  party 
of  fifty  men  to  the  shore.    They  were  all  well  armed.     The 
pomt  of  land  to  which  they  directed  their  boats  i^  supposed  to 
have  been  what  is  now  called  Parker's  Island  ;  though  they  soon 
after  disembarked  on  Stage  Island,  but  a  short  distance  to  the 
east  1    At  this  point  Weymouth  had  raised  one  of  his  crosses. 
^    When  the  natives  saw  so  formidable  an  armed  force  approach- 
mg,  their  fears  were  very  naturally  again  aroused.     But  two 
years  had  passed  since  Weyrr.uth,  with  protestations  of  friend- 
ship  and  the  foulest  treachery,  had  torn  five  of  their  countrymen 
from  their  homes     Two  only  had  returned.    To  what  fate  the 
other  three  had  been  doomed  they  knew  not 

Nahanada  had  also  learned,  during  his  residence  in  London, 
that  nominal  Christians  might  be  the  greatest  villains  in  the 
world.  His  apprehensions  were  excited  in  seeing  the  boats 
approaching  the  shore,  manned  with  bands  so  formidable  in 
numbers  and  so  thoroughly  armed.  It  is  intimated  that  Wey- 
mouths  crew  outraged  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  Indians 
most  infamously.  In  this  liamlet  of  one  hundred  natives,  there 
.mght  have  been  twenty  men,  with  bows  and  arrows  only  for 
their  weapons  which  were  powerless  against  the  bullets  of  the 
white  men.  The  remainder  were  women,  with  little  boys  and 
young  girls.  -^    """* 

Well  might  the  Indians,  after  the  experience  they  had  passed 
through,  recoil  from  such  an  irruption  of  British  sailors  into  the' r 
wigwams     The  boat,  -.vere  steered  directly  towards  the  little 

X dfed  or  Zr''     1  f  ^'^'  '^'  ^"^P^^^^"^  °^  N^^^^^da  were 
excited,  or  that  ne  wished  to  persuade  the  strangers  to  pursue 

a  course  less  menacing  in  its  aspect  to  his  friends.     He  could 
speak  and  understand  English  perfectly  well  « 
Capts  Popham  and  Gilbert  were  both  in  the  boats.    As  they 

tn^ft        r^'  f^r^'  ''''''  ^°^^  "P°^  *he  beach,  and,  hi 
mg  them,  begged  them  not  to  come  on  shore  in  sJch  strong 


52 


THE  History  of  majne. 


■ 


military  array,  for  the  natives  were  greatly  alarmed.  The  two 
captains  seem  to  have  been  very  judicious  and  excellent  men. 
They  were  visiting  the  shore  for  divine  worship.  The  crews 
were  y^mgy  of  the  long  voyage.  The  land,  with  its  green 
mounds  and  cool  springs  and  shady  groves,  seemed  like  an  Eden 
m  their  view,  as  it  was  illumined  with  all  the  splendors  of  the 
early  autumnal  sun.  It  would  have  been  a  great  and  cruel 
disappointment  to  them  to  have  been  forbidden  to  land. 

The  boatmen  rested  upon  their  oars,  and  an  hour  was  spent 
in  negotiations.     Then  it  was  agreed  that  the  crew  might  land, 
but  all  the  Indians  prudently  withdrew  into  the  forest.     Even 
Skitwarroes  went  with  them.     He  might  have  feared  th&t  the 
sailors  would  be  guUty  of  outrages  which  their  captains  could 
not  restrain.     Or  it  might  have  been  his  object  to  assure  his 
friends  that  their  alarm  was  groundless,  and  that  these  white 
men^  could  be  safely  trusted.    It  would  seem  that  Capt.  Pop- 
ham's  suspicions  were  now  arou,sed.     He  knew  not  how  numer- 
ous  the   Indians   might  be  in   that   vicinity.      The   distrust 
shown  by  the  natives,  and  their  entire  withdrawal,  led  him  to 
fear  that  they  might  have  gone  for  re-enforcements,  and  that  a 
band  of  hundreds  of  warriors  might  come  rushing  upon  him. 
He,  however,  ventured  to  land.     Religious  services  were  held 
beneath  the  cross  which  Weymouth  had  reared.     Rev.  Richard 
Seymour,  the  chaplain,  preached  the  sermon.     Thus  it  was  an 
Episcopal  clergyman  from    the   shores  of  England,  who   first 
preached  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  upon  the  shores  of  Maine. 
It  was  an  occasion  to  have  raised  a  man's  soul.     Deep    must 
have  been  the  emotions  excited,  as  the  melody  of  their  hymns 
blended  with  the  soft  voice  of  the  wavelets  rippling  upon  the 
beach,  and  the  pensive  whisperings  of  the  breeze  through  the 
fibrous-leaved  pines. 

After  this  service  Popham  re-embarked  his  crews,  and  rowed 
to  the  other  side  of  the  water,  where  he  encamped.  Sewall 
thinks  that  this  was  probably  the  Boothbay  shore,  near  Hodg- 
don's  Mills.i  But  it  is  impossible  to  extricate  the  details  whidi 
are  given,  from  some  entanglement.     This  might  have  been  a 

,  1  Ancient  Dominions  ol  MaLoe,  p.  lo^ 


THt:  HISTOKY  OF  UAWE.  (jj 

piudential  movement  to  guard  against  attack.  It «,  however 
more  probable  that  it  was  intended  to  relieve  the  nakvesTm 
the,r  pamfnl  apprehensions.  Popham  might  have  mSe  tC 
compromise  with  Nahanada,  that  he  would  land  his  e^w  for 

The  whole  of  the  10th  and  11th  was  spent  at  this  encamu- 
n^nt,  while  a  party  explored  the  Damariscotta  Eiver  .'n  seS 
of  a  suitable  ocation  for  the  establishment  of  their  c„lo„r  In 
«>eevemng  of  the  Uth,  the  boats  returned  to  the  ships"  which 
were  *n  nding  at  anchor  under  what  they  ealW  St.  Gerrget 

The  morning  of  the  12th,  the  ships  weighed  anchor  and  .«> 
.ad  to  enter  the  mouth  of  the  Sagadlck."  The  nTrmofnil 
found  them  south  of  Seguin,  at  the  distance  of  but  thrermilef 

a  roufh  not     tT    T  "T'    "  ^'^  ^^8"'"  "  ■'  ■«'">™"^Iy 
a  "-ough  pomt.     The  gale  was  blowing  directly  upon  the  shore 

In  the  darkness  of  the  night,  amidst  the  roariL  of  the  tele!; 

and  the  dashing  of  the  waves,  they  were  in  im°mVnent  peTo 

which  they  could  run.  During  the  hours  of  thU  tempestuous 
mght  they  stood  off  and  on,  momentarily  fearin..  That  thev 
might  be  driven  upon  the  rocks.  The  m^oming  "of  the  ul 
dawned  luridly  upon  a  storm-tossed  sea.  With  its  earliest  rats 
they  looked  for  some  spot  where  they  could  thrust  in  the  ships 
to  save  their  lives.  J^^ 

Putting  up  the  helm,  they  stood  in  for  the  shore,  where  thev 
soon  saw  two  small  islands.     Under  the  shelter  of  Lne  of  them 

T^e  r  Geo?"?  T  1  't"'  ''"'^^'  ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^-^^^ 
The  St  George  s  Islands  consisted  of  a  group  of  about  twenty 

many  of  them  mere  rocks.  The  storm  ere  long  ceased,  and  the' 
wind  came  in  fair.  A  party  took  a  boat,  and  crui!ed  Ground 
among  these  islands.  All  were  very  roc'ky,  and  on  moTof 
Uiem  there  was  p  dense  growth  of  hemlock,  spruce,  firs  and 
'.ran.  ''''  '"  ^'^^  '°""'  '^"^  "^^^^-'  -^  ''  ^^-  bi;  a 
The  next  morning,  the  15th,  though  the  wind  was  rather 


11^ 


54 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


3   I 


unfavorable,  "  The  Gift"  worked  its  way  into  the  mouth  of  the 
Sagadahock.  A  calm  ensued.  Capt.  Popham  sent  his  boats, 
and,  aided  by  the  tide,  towed  in  "  The  Mary  and  John,"  and 
anchored  her  by  the  sidd  of  "  The  Gift."  This  occupied  the 
day. 

The  autumnal  sun  rose  bright  and  clear  the  next  morning, 
the  16th.  Capt.  Popham  took  thirty  men  in  his  pinnace,  and 
Capt.  Gilbert  eighteen  in  his  long-boat,  and  commenced  row- 
ing up  the  stream,  between  the  banks  of  the  silent,  solitary, 
beautiiul  Sagadahock.  They  ascended  the  deep  and  "  gallant " 
river,  as  they  termed  it,  far  into  the  interior.  They  passed 
many  goodly  islands  and  branches  of  inlets  and  mouths  of 
streams  or  bays  opening  into  the  river.  In  the  evening  the 
boats  returned,  having  found  no  place  for  the  establishment  of 
the  colony  which  they  deemed  more  favorable  than  the  one 
before  them. 

Accordingly  the  next  morning,  the  18th  rf  August,  1607,  all 
went  on  shore  to  select  a  spot 'for  their  plantation,  and  to  com- 
mence their  works.  The  point  chosen  seems  to  have  been  near 
the  mouth  of  Sagadahock,  at  the  south-western  extremity  of  the 
peninsula  called  Phipsburg.     Williamson  says  — 

"The  Indians  called  this  promontory  Sabino,  from  the  chief  whose 
authority  was  recognized  there.  They  selected  a  pleasant  and  convenient 
site  on  the  south-east  side  of  a  creek,  near  what  is  now  called  Atkins  Bay; 
which  stretches  west  into  the  land  half  a  league,  and  forms  a  peninsula  at 
the  southerly  corner  of  the  present  town  of  Phipsburg."  i 

The  critical  reader  will  perceive  that  the  date  of  the  landing 
here  given  differs  from  the  dates  in  some  other  histories.  The 
cause  of  this  discrepancy  probably  is,  that  the  landing  at  the  dif- 
ferent points,  to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  has  been  con- 
founded with  this  final  landing.     The  recently  discovered  man- 

1  Coolidge  and  Mansfield  say,  in  their  valuable  History  of  New  England,  that 
some  suppose  that  the  landing  was  made  at  Parker's  Island,  others  at  Arrowsio, 
and  others  at  Georgetown,  but  that  the  recent  discovery  of  the  MS.  of  William 
Strackey  leaves  scarcely  room  for  doubt  that  they  landed  on  the  Phipsburg 
Peninsula. 

The  narrative  given  in  the  text  is  doubtless  the  correct  one.  There  were  sev 
eral  landings,  and  the  final  one  was  on  the  peninsula. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  55 

"^^^l  °^,^""""^  f^^^k^y  '^^^^  to  render  it  almost  certain 
tliat  the  chronology  here  given  is  correct.* 

The  settlement  took  the  name  of  the  Sagadahock  Colony. 
The  inauguration  of  the  colony  was  solemnized  by  religious  ser 
vices     Rev.  Richard  Seymour,  of  whom  we  have Lorf spoke" 
preached  on  the  occasion.     The  promontory  contained  one  oi' 
two  hundred  acxes     The  Plymouth  Company  had  given  sealed 
diec  ions  containing  the  general   laws  they  wished  to  have 

cTe  hem  '  Th-     t''  ^'^ '"^"^  they  had  appointed  to  exe- 
cute  them      This  colony  was  organized  utider  the  influence  of 
the  British  nobihty.     They  were  fully  satisfied  with  the  mon- 
archy of  their  native  land.      The  idea  of  establishing  a  repub- 
hcan  government  they  had  not  even  remotoly  cherished.     The 
company  represented  the  crown;  and  all  the  laws  were  enacted, 
and  the  officers  selected,  by  the  company.     Capt.  George  Pop- 
ham  was  appointed  governor ;  and  seven  men  were  designated 
as  his  assistants,  with  the  several  titles  of  admiral,  master  of 
ordnance,  commander  of  the  militia,  marshal,  commander  of  the 
tort,  secretary  of  the  colony,  and  searcher. 

While  thus  laying  the  foundations  of  their  little  settlement 

ll7iT  '^^^°"^"1««  «^  ^  ^-rld  as  yet  but  little  known 
and  slightly  explored,  three  canoes  full  of  natives  were  seen  on 
the  distant  wators.  Cautiously  the  Indians  gazed  upon  the 
strange  spectacle  thus  opening  before  them,  but  they  did  not 
venture  to  draw  nigh.  They  soon  vigorously  plied  their  pad- 
dies  and  were  lost  to  sight  beyond  the  reaches  of  the  river. 

All  hands  were  now  summoned  to  work.  They  commenced 
operations  about  the  same  time  upon  a  fort,  a  large  storehouse, 
several  log-cabins,  and  a  small  vessel  to  cruise  along  the  coast 
and  explore  the  rivers.  The  name  of  "  Virginia  "  was  given  tJ 
this  first  vessel  built  upon  the  shores  of  Maine.  Her  size  was 
thirty  tons.  The  governor  was  invested  with  almost  absolute 
power  and  he  superintonded  all  the  works.  They  called  the 
tort  St.  George.  The  settlement  also  was  frequently  called  bv 
the  same  name. 

1  Messrs.  Coolidge  and  Mansfield  date  the  landine  on  th«  SM,  •  wni,-„ 
Zorwine.  .        *       ^^''"  bySewallia  his  very  accurate  "Ancien,,  Don.in- 


66 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


On  the  28th  of  the  month  Capt.  Gilbert  took  a  boat's 
crew,  and  set  out  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  towards  the  west. 
L^  sailed  through  Casco  Bay,  admiring,  as  well  he  might,  its 
cluster  of  beautiful  islands,  and  anchored  his  shallop  at  night 
under  a  headland  which  the  Indians  called  Semiamis,  but 
which  is  now  known  as  Cape  Elizabeth.  He  inferred  that  the 
land  must  be  very  fertile,  from  the  gigantic  growth  of  trees 
which  sprung  from  the  soil. 

During  the  day  several  native  canoes  were  seen;  but  the 
Indians  carefully  avoided  approaching  the  shallop.  They  had 
doubtless  heard  of  the  treachery  of  Weymouth,  and  regarded 
the  white  man  as  a  fiend,  to  be  avoided  and  resisted  at  every 
hazard.  After  an  uneventful  cruise  of  three  days,  the  shallop 
returned  to  Fort  George,  again  traversing  the  beautiful  Bay  of 
Casco,  and  sailing  by  "  many  goodly  and  gallant  islands." 

Had  it  not  been  for  the  crime  of  Weymouth,  any  number  of 
Indians  might  have  been  hired  to  work  upon  the  fort,  to  draw 
timber  from  the  forest,  and  to  aid  with  spade  and  hoe  iu  break- 
ing up  the  ground  for  seed.  A  hatchet  or  a  knife  would  repay 
an  Indian  amply  for  many  days'  labor.  The  French  in  Canada 
treated  the  Indians  as  brothers ;  and  they  found  no  difficulty  in 
securing  their  services  to  bear  burdens,  and  to  toil  in  the  field 
and  the  ship-yard.  But  Weymouth's  crime  so  appalled  the 
Indians  of  Maine,  that  not  one  was  willing  to  lift  his  hand  to  aid 
the  white  men.  No  smiles,  no  kind  words,  no  hospitality,  could 
efface  the  impression  which  the  kidnapper  had  cut  deep  into 
their  hearts. 

About  noon  of  the  30th  of  August  nine  canoes,  filled  with 
forty  Indians,  were  seen  approaching  the  fort  from  Pemaquid, 
which  was  distant  but  a  few  leagues  on  the  east.  Several  of 
these  natives  were  women  and  children.  Without  any  hesi- 
tancy, they  paddled  to  tlie  beach,  and  all  landed.  The  mystery 
of  this  apparent  boldness  was  soon  explained.  The  little  fleet 
was  led  by  the  Pemaquid  chief  Nahanada.  He  had  also  with 
him  Skitwarroes,  and  another  subordinate  chief,  Sasanoa. 

Gov.  Popham  received  them  with  the  greatest  hospitality, 
and  did  every  thing  in  his  power  to  dispel  their  suspicions. 
The  Indians  remained  for  three  hours ;  but  nothing  could  in- 


THE  msToer  or  uaine. 


«7 


duce  them  to  leave  themselves  in  the  power  of  such  daneerous 

visitors  through  the  night.     As  the  sun  was  sinking  UmTZ 

pme^^wned  islands  of  Casoo  Bay,   they  nearl/ allTnt  ed 

be,r  eanoes    and   paddled   across   the  water   to  the   eastern 

buSt  theilfl     '''"/""'•    ""^  *^^  '™'^<'  "■»■'  f-'  «h"tl° 
Duut  their  fires,  and  encamped. 

Skitwarroes,  and  one  or  two  other  Indians,  remained  in  the 
fo  t.  Capt.  Gilbert  to  show  the  Indians  that  he  reposed  con- 
fidence  in  them,  and  perhaps  emboldened  by  the  eonviotion  Z 
there  were  two  or  three  Indians  in  the  fort,  who  would  be  heW 
a  hc«toges  for  his  safe  return,  took  a  boat,  and  with  two  othe„ 
of  he  governor's  council,  Robert  Davis,  commander  of  th" 
mihtia,  and  Ellis  Bert,  marshal,  rowed  across  the  liver  and 
passed  the  night  in  the  native  encampment. 

It  was,  however,  very  evident  that  the  cautious  Indians  did 
not  deem  it  safe  to  enter  into  any  very  intimate  relations  of 

fZol  t*"  r."'  "'  '="g«^'>'»»-     Eai'y  the  next  morning  they 
all  took  to  their  canoes,  and  returned  to  Pemaquid 

A  week  of  energetic  labor  upon  fort  and  dwellings  passed 
away;  and  on  the  8th  of  September  Capt.  Gilbert  a|ain  Zk 
the  shallop,  and,  with  twenty-two  men,  set  out  on   another 
exploring  tour,  toward  the  east  in  search  of  the  Penobscot  River 
IZT  r"'  ^°  'f  ■"  "*  ''"  J""""  "'  *«  distance  of  time,' 

ot  wisdom.  The  location  was  on  a  sandbank,  bleak  and  bar- 
ren, with  no  surrounding  region  of  fertility.  The  experience  of 
one  winter  led  them  to  report,  that  "the  country  is  Se  ably 
cold  and  sterile,  unhealthy,  and  not  habitable  by  our  EnS 
nation.",  it  „  difficult  to  imagine  what  object  they  couM  have 
had  in  sending  off  these  exploring  expeditions,  win,  having 
selected  the  location  of  their  colony,  they  needk  the  eneXief 
of  every  man  in  roaring  their  buildings,  cutting  and  houing 
wood  or  the  winter,  and  in  breaking  the  hard  soifin  prepaXf 
for  putting  lu  seed  in  the  spring.  p»ianon 

h Jf"  '?'°'''".  '"   "'"  '''*"°P  *««  '•^to-'ded  by  calms  and 
heart  winds,  and  did  not  reach  Pemaquid  until  early!  Z 


^  Prince's  Annals,  p.  36. 


58 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


morning  of  the  11th  of  September.  They  found  the  Indian 
VI  lage  entirely  deserted,  and  nothing  remained  but  silence  and 
solitude.  It  13  probable  that  the  natives  who  had  visited  Fort 
George  were  alarmed  by  the  fortifications  which  were  rising 
there  so  massive  in  their  eyes,  and  by  the  other  indications 
of  a  strong  and  permanent  settlement.  They  deemed  it  safe  to 
retire  back  into  the  country,  that  they  might  be  at  a  greater 
remove  from  neighbors  whom  they  deemed  so  dangerous 

For  several  days  the  voyagers  cruised  along,  exploring  many 
bays  and  mlets  of  this  wonderfully  indented  coast,  but  search- 
mg  in  jam  for  the  mouth  of  the  Penobscot.  They  did  not 
n  T  ^;7^*^«i^^f^itless  expedition  until  about  the  20th. 
On  the  28d  Capt.  Gilbert  again  embarked  in  the  shallop,  tak- 
ing with  him  nineteen  men  to  ascend  the  Sagadahock  to  Merrv- 
meeting  Bay,  and  thence  to  explore  the  Kennebec  to  its 
navigable  source. 

_  The  paa1;y  reached  the  bay  on  the  24th,  and  turning  to  the  left, 
instead  of  the  right,  entered  the  Androscoggin  River,  instead  of 
the  Kennebec.  Early  the  next  morning  they  reached  the  falls 
at  Brunswick.  Their  description  of  the  country,  and  of  the 
low  flat  island  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below  the  fal  can- 
not be  mistaken.  The  falls  then  consisted  mainly  of  a  series 
of  rapids,  through  which,  by  aid  of  a  strong  rope,  they  with 
difficulty  drew  their  boat.  Rowing  up  the  river  about  three 
miles  beyond  these  rapids,  they  landed,  and  camped  for  the 
night. 

As  they  were  constructing  their  camp,  and  kindling  their  fire 

^tl  %t  P  'r'."''  °^  ^"^^""^  °"  '^'  °PP°«^t«  bank  of  the' 
river.    The  Englishmen  responded ;    but  the  shouts  on  both 

sides  were  alike  unintelligible.  The  next  morning  a  canoe 
crossed  the  river,  bearing  an  Indian  chief  by  the  name  of 
Sebenoa,  and  four  natives.  The  chief  was  a  friendly,  cour- 
teous man,  but  deemed  it  necessary  to  guard  against  treachery. 
He  would  not  land,  and  thus  place  himself  in  the  power  of  the 

hosTaT'  ''"^'^  *^'^  ^^""''^  °'''  ''*  *^'^'  ""'^  '''  ^^  '*"°^  ^  * 

The  report  which  is  given  of  the  subsequent  conduct  of  the 

Indians,  if  we  credit  it  precisely  as  given,  is  utterly  incompre- 


Tax  msToar  or  maikx.     .  jg 

hemiblo.    It  would  seem  that  there  must  haye  been  some  ereat 

tooa  of  facto  which  are  unquestioiuble.  If  the  report  of  the 
Imtonan  «  to  be  accepted  as  accurate  in  .U  its  Marines  it 
wojJd  prove  that  the  Indians  behaved  lil.e  idiote,-.  Zf^r 
which  they  never  developed  before.  "iwiMter 

M  soon  as  the  hostage  was  received  into  the  canoe   and 
Setonoa  the  clnef.  had  by  invitation  taken  a  seat  in  t^e  shillcp 
where,  .t  -mil  be  remembered,  he  was  surrounded  by  ninlTn 
wM  e  men,  the  four  Indians  began  to  paddle  very  rapWin:te 
nver.    TTie  annalist  assumes  that  they  treacherously  were  mat 
mg  an  effort  to  run  away  with  the  hoftag,  as  the^cajt "e 

The  supposition  is  absnrd.  The  Indians  surely  woid  not 
urrender  their  chief  in  exchange  for  a  oommonVan  The 
ch«f  himself  would  not  consent  to  so  silly  a  sacrifice.  Neither 
could  four  men  hope  to  escape  from  the  pursuit  of  nineten 
whose  guns  could  throw  the  death-dealing  bullet  so  Zat  a 
distance.  The  tidings  of  the  power  of  the  whitTman^,  mult 
had  spread  far  and  wide  among  the  tribes 

Unquestionably  the  chief  had  invited  the  white  men  to  visit 
his  encampment.    As  they  could  convene  only  by  etgns   hL 
nvitation  had  not  been  understood  by  Capt.  GUbert  Tut'  the 
Indians  supposed  that  it  wa3  understood  and  accepted.    W 
diately  upon  the  friendly  exchange  having  been  mL,  the  wSto 
man  bemg  m  the  canoe,  and  the  chief  in  the  shallortlrin 
dians  commenced  p^dUng  up  the  river  toward  theS  ^lie 
The  birch  canoe,  light  as  a  babble,  was  driven  with  great  S 
ty  over   he  waters.    It  was  with  difSculty  that  fhe  hSv 
laden  shallop  could  keep  up  with  it.  t  one  neaviiy 

.J'f  T  if"™"''  *'>'"  great  earc  was  taken  that  the  hostaM 
chief  should  not  leap  overboard ;  but  there  is  no  intimltionttat 
ie  made  any  such  senseless  attempt.    What  coulTone  po„ 
man  do  struggUng  in  the  water,  with  nineteen  men  at  hand  to 

wrS.'^"'""^'     ^^  -"-  '■'-  -'^^^ 
Apparently  Sebenoa  sat  in  the  shallop  with  tranquil  mind 
enurely  unconscious  of  the  alarm  which  his  hospitable  inTta 
tion  had  given.    The  canoe  led  the  wav.     A  f.,„  ..od,  1--"-  ) 


60 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


came  the  shallop.     Having  ascended  the    river  about  three 
miles,  the  canoe  landed.     The  four  Indiana,  with  their  one 
white  companion,  entered  a  trail  which  led  back  to  their  village 
Capt.  Gilbert  hurriedly  ran  his  boat  upon  the  shore.     Leav- 
ing  nine  men  to  guard  the  shallop,  he  took  the  other  nine  with 
hira,  and  followed  rapidly  along  the  trail  to  rescue  the  man 
whom  he  supposed  the  Indians  had  kidnapped.    Sebanoa  min- 
gled with  them,  giving  no  sign  that  he  suspected  that  he  was 
watched    or  that  he  was  thought  to  be  practising  treachery. 
Ihe  well-trodden,  narrow  path  led  picturesquely  around  the 
forest-crowned  hills  of  the  Androscoggin,  for  a  distance  of 
about  a  league.     Here  they  came  upon  the  little  hamlet  of  the 
chief.     The  white  hostage  was  there  unharmed.     The  whole 
village  was,  of  course,  thrown  into  great  commotion  by  so  sin- 
gular  an  event.    The  historian  writes :  — 

Ji  J  w™  ""^  ^7f  T"  ^^*^  ""^^^  "''"'  ^^'^  strong  and  tall :  such  as  their 
hke  before  we  had  not  seen.     AU  #ere  newly  painted,  and  armed  with  bow^ 

As  there  were  fifty  warriors,  the  village  must  have  contained 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants.  They  could  not  have 
been  armed  in  anticipation  of  this  visit ;  for  they  had  no  more 
reason  to  expect  it,  than  they  had  to  think  that  angels  would 
descend  among  them  from  heaven.  They  had  made  no  collec 
tion  of  furs  for  trade ;  for  the  idea  of  such  a  chance  for  trade 
had  not  entered  their  minds. 

But  here  were  nine  men,  three  miles  from  their  boat,  suiTounded 
by  fifty  well-armed  and  very  powerful  warriors. '  If  treachery  had 
been  intended,  nothing  could  have  been  more  easy  than  to  cut 
them  off     They  had  no  longer  any  hostage ;  for  Sebenoa  was  in 
his  own  home,  and  at  the  head  of  his  band.     Thers  were  many 
opportunities  for  lying  in  ambush  among  the  rocks  and  forest- 
trees  and  thickets  which  fringed  the  narrow  trail.     Thus  every 
white  man  could  have  been  pierced  with  arrows,  with  scarcely 
the  opportunity  to  make  any  resistance.     And  yet  not  one  of 
these  -  very  strong,  tall  savages  "  gave  the  slightest  indication 
ot  hostility.     There  was  not  a  frown  seen,  not  a  menacing  word 
ii>ard,  not  an  arrow  was  placed  upon  the  bowstring 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


61 


On  the  contrary,  the  reception  was  hospitable  in  all  respects. 
We  are  told  that  '♦  peaceful  overtures  prevailed,  and  proposals 
for  trade  were  made."  After  a  brief  visit,  the  wliole  party 
returned  to  the  l)oat.  Not  the  slightest  attempt  was  discovered 
to  molest  the  strangers,  as  in  single  file  they  threaded  the  narrow 
pass,  where  the  Indians,  outnumbering  them  five  to  one,  could 
so  easily  in  ambush,  with  one  volley  of  their  arrows,  have  struck 
every  man  down. 

A  few  moments  after  reaching  the  shallop,  sixteen  of  the 
natives  appeared,  apparently  lured  by  curiosity  to  see  them  off. 
We  are  simply  informed  that  they  were  "  natives ; "  and  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  infer  that  they  were  men,  women,  and  children 
It  IS  very  certain,  that,  if  there  had  been  any  hostile  intent, 
fifty  warriors  would  never  have  deputed  sixteen  of  their  num- 
ber to  attack  a  band  of  nine  white  men,  while  the  remainder 
lounged  indolently  in  their  wigwams  within  half  an  hour's 
distance  of  the  scene  of  conflict. 

The  treachery  of  the  white  man  had  become  proverbial. 
The  Clime  of  Weymouth  had  infused  suspicion  into  the  mind 
of  every  Indian.  Fire-arms  had  then  been  but  receutly  in- 
vented. The  musket  which  the  white  man  bore  was  the  an- 
cient matchlock.  It  was  a  clumsy  weapon,  and  rested  upon  a 
support.  It  could  only  be  discharged  by  applying  a  match  or 
torch  to  the  touchhoL.  Jr.  as  the  boat  was  leaving  the  shore 
where  the  camp-fire  Avas  burning,  one  of  the  men  lighted  a 
torch  to  fire  the  guns. 

An  Indian  standing  by,  undoubtedly  feared  that  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  boatmen,  as  soon  as  they  were  at  a  little  dis- 
tance from  the  shore,  to  fire  upon  the  group  left  behind.  The 
lighting  of  the  match,  under  those  circumstances,  was  a  men- 
ace, a  hostile  act.  What  other  possible  motive  could  there  be 
for  thus  making  ready  to  fire  their  guns?  Upon  the  hnpulse 
of  the  moment,  he  sprang  towards  the  shallop,  seized  the 
lighted  match,  and  thew  it  into  the  water.  The  crew  instantly 
grasped  their  guns;  and  a  man,  at  the  command  of  Gilbert, 
leaped  on  shore  to  get  more  fire.  Thus  suddenly  did  a  war 
tempest  seem  to  burst  upon  the  band.  The  terrified  Indians, 
now  convinced  that  hostiUtiea  were  threatened.  «fli^pH  th^ 


•i 


THE  BIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


of  the  boat,  and  tried  to  prevent  its  putting  off.  But  as  the 
men  presented  their  muskets,  ready  to  apply  the  glowing  torch, 
they  dropped  the  rope,  and  the  whole  company  fled  precipitately 
into  the  forest.  As  they  fled,  not  a  single  arrow  was  thrown 
back. 

This  was  indeed  an  untoward  termination  of  Gilbert's  visit 
to  Sebenoa.  The  shallop  immediately  withdrew  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river.  In  this  misadventure  the  natives  oertainlv 
appear  to  great  advantage.    It  u  recorded,  — 

"  A  canoe  followed  to  excuse  the  hostile  bearing  of  the  ratives.  Gilbert 
kindly  entertained  the  messages  of  peace,  but  made  the  best  of  his  way 
back  to  the  settlement  and  the  fort." 

These  events  took  place  on  the  26th  of  September,  1607. 
Capt.  Gilbert  expresses  his  admiration  of  the  magnificent 
spruce-trees  he  passed  on  tho  way,  suitable  "  to  mast  the  great- 
est ship  his  majesty  hath."  Clusters  of  ripe  grapes  hung  upon 
the  vines  which  festooned  the  trees,  and  the  waters  seemed  to 
abound  in  fishes  of  great  variety.  The  next  day,  in  a  dismal 
storm  of  rain  and  fog,  the  shallop  returned  to  Fort  George. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE    FAILURE    OP    POPHAM's    COLONY,  AND    ITS    ATTENDANT 

RESULTS. 

Martba'8  Viueyanl.  t"""w      jus  Jiscape  — The  Battle  on 

A     "^  EEK  passed  away.     On  the  3d  of  October,  Skitwarroes 

Tn^       "''"'ru  "^  ^"  *  '""^"'  ^^^^  *^o  «^-  three  other 

Indians.     The  native  princes  seem  to  have  had  their  rules  of 

courtly  etiquette  quite  as  distinctly  defined  as  those  which  pre- 

van  at  Windsor  Castle  or  Versailles.     It  would  seen,  that  there 

were,  m  that  region,  several  tribes  under  one  head  chief,  who 

was  recognized  as  supreme,  and  was  called  Bashaba. 

Skitwarroes  and  his  companions  had  come  as  envoys  from  the 

Bashaba    to  inform    Gov.   Popham  that  their  sovereign   lad 

sen   Ins  brother  (Williamson  says  his  son)  as  an  ambasfado   to 

V  sit  the  chieftain  of  the  white  men,  and  that  he  was  on  the 

othe.  side  of  the  river,  awaiting  the  white  chieftain's  pleasure. 

Ihe  envoy  was  immediately  invited  over,  M  .  ^  received  with 

at  the  fort  and  with  his  retinue  attended  public  worship,  both 
mormngand  evening.  It  is  recorded  that  they  all  conducted 
reverentially,  and  with  much  decorum.  conducted 

wi^^'fh!^""^  ""^  ^^'  ™'''^°''  ^^'  *°  "^'^^^^«^  f"e»dlj  relations 
with  the  new-comers,  and  to  open  a  trade  which  might  be 
exceedingly  beneficial  to  both  parties.  It  would  seem  that 
Nahanadaand  Stih«,nrr«no  i,„^  l_j.        ,  ®®®™  *°"* 

...,,  ^,^„  ^jj^y  gjjjj^  representations  to 

•»  88 


I 


64 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  Bashaba,  that  he  generously  overlooked  the  infamous  con- 
duct of  Weymouth,  and  presented  the  hand  of  reconciliation 
and  friendship  to  these  new-comers.  Every  historian  has  ad- 
mitted that  the  conduct  of  the  Indians  in  this  respect  was  very 
noble.  There  is  no  authentic  record,  thus  far,  of  any  act  of 
treachery,  violence,  or  deceit  on  their  part.  The  Indian  wars, 
which  eventually  ensued,  were  the  undeniable  result  of  outrages 
inflicted  by  individual  white  men,  who  were  beyond  the  re- 
straints of  law,  and  who,  in  utter  godlessness,  had  no  mora 
regard  to  future  retribution  than  had  the  wolves  and  the  bears. 
The  Indians  were  honest  in  their  dealings,  and  manifested 
much  gratitude  for  a",     "^   or  conferred  upon  them. 

On  one  occasion  a  suaw  hat  and  a  knife  were  given  to  an 
Indian,  by  the  name  of  Ameriguin,  as  a  present.  He  immedi- 
ately, in  return,  presented  the  giver  with  a  rich  beaver  mantle, 
which  was  then  worth  from  ten  to  fifteen  dollars  in  London. 

The  works  in  the  settlement  were  driven  so  vigorously,  and 
the  style  of  architecture  was  so  simple,  that  by  the  6th  of 
October,  only  seven  weeks  from  the  time  of  landing,  the  fort 
was  completed,  intrenched,  and  twelve  cannon  were  mounted. 
The  storehouse  was  also  finished,  and  fifty  log-cabins  were 
reared.  With  such  imposing  ceremonies  as  the  occasion  could 
furnish,  the  town  was  named  St.  George.* 

Winter  came  ea"'  •  and  with  unusual  severity.  Storms  of 
sleet  and  snow  swept  the  bleak  expanse  which  had  been  so 
unwisely  selected  for  their  home.  Discontent  arose,  and,  with 
the  discontent,  quarrels  among  the  colonists.  Many  cursed  the 
da\^  in  which  they  left  their  cottages  in  England,  for  abodes  so 
chill  and  drear  and  comfortless.  They  had  made  no  suitable 
preparation  for  winter.  They  had  only  green  wood  to  burn. 
Their  cabins  were  frail,  and  filled  with  smoke. 

It  was  a  miserable  winter  to  all.  With  wise  foresight,  and  a 
Christian  spirit,  the  months  of  snow  and  wind  and  rain  might 
have  passed  even  agreeably  away.  Their  cabins  might  have 
been  warm  and  cheerful.  Wood  was  abundant.  They  could 
have  laid  in  ample  stores,  and  quite  well  seasoned.  An  abun- 
dant supply  of  furs  could  have  been  obtained  of  the  Indians  for 

1  Rancroft.  vol.  L  D.  268. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  gg 

where  there  is  ,m  there  must  be  ZoT  """ '  ""' 

last  while  time  endures,  -  "^  "  "°'°"^  ^''''=''  ^""W 

ne.leo.ed  away  W  the  home  of  «r:iL,''Ser'"'''  "'  "^ 

His   expectations  were  not  realizPfl      H;.       i 
No  friendly  haudeonveyed  his  ;::;;":^  to  ZtT  tCt ''• 
might  repose  amidst  the  graves  of  hi,  f.,L      ^vr    '  **'>' 

i-ecords  of  the  wh  te  man',  M  ,  T"  ''""■^ '  ''•"  ">e 

Thecolonistsse  m  0  have  heetX  T^^  '""^  *°  '"'^  '»"• 
any  refereneo  to  moral  claracte"  in  h" '"'  T'^''^'  "'"""" 
ably  could  not  have  bee  ,  Znd  1  T"  ^"^''  '^'^  f"''" 
of  men  than  the  ave  ag  t™  „f  a  Bri  '  h"  """  f""'"'"'  '^' 
Parently  many  of  the  onlZT  ,     man-of-war.    Ap- 

.P  from^he  wVLroftXrof'Cr  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

cr  rrLTdtr  ^  ^-^  -  ^n^wtth^rthtr; 

It .»  said  that  a  large  number  of  natives  landed  on  one  ocoa- 


I 


66 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


sion,  at  the  little  settlement,  with  a  few  furs  and  skins  for  sale. 
They  wandered  peacefully  around,  gazing  with  much  interest 
upon  the  new  objects  which  everywhere  met  their  eyes.  They 
were  new-comei-s  from  the  interior,  and  every  thing  was  strange 
to  them.  Some  of  the  men  thought  they  would  amuse  them- 
selves in  seeing  how  the  Indians  would  be  astonished  and  terri- 
fied at  the  report  of  one  of  their  cannons.  They  loaded  one  of 
the  largest  almost  to  the  muzzle,  but  with  powder  only.  They 
attached  two  drag-ropes  to  the  heavy  gun,  and  requested  the 
Indians,  as  a  favor,  to  help  them  draw  the  ponderous  weapon 
from  one  part  of  the  grounds  to  another. 

Joyously,  with  shouts  and  merriment,  the  obliging  natives 
manned  the  two  ropes,  in  lines  directly  before  the  muzzle  of 
the  gun.  As  they  were  rushing  it  along,  one  of  these  colonists 
applied  the  match  K.  the  touch-hole.  A  terrible  explosion, 
with  lightning  flash  and  thunder  peal,  took  place.  Several  of 
the  natives  were  killed  outright ;  others  were  horribly  burned 
and  mangled. 

The  survivors  returned  to  their  homes,  scattering  in  all  di- 
rections the  story  of  the  horrible  outrage.  This  was  a  fitting 
sequel  to  the  kidnapping  crimes  of  Weymouth.  It  is  not 
strange  that  the  heathen  Indians  should  have  thought  that  the 
Christian  white  men  were  fiends.  Universal  indignation  was 
excited.  The  Indians  met  in  large  numbers,  resolved  to  exter- 
minate the  colonists  who  had  thus  brought  blood  and  misery 
and  death  to  their  lowly  homes.  They  made  an  attack  -—  the 
"treacherous  Indians,"  as  they  were  called —  upon  the  settle- 
ment. They  captured  the  storehouse  which  contained  all  the 
merchandise  and  provisions  of  the  colony. 

They  drove  the  garrison,  which  was  greatly  diminished  by 
sickness  and  death,  out  of  the  fort.  One  man  was  killed ;  the 
others  took  refuge  in  a  sort  of  citadel  at  some  distance  from  the 
magazine.  As  the  ignorant  Indians  were  rioting  through  the 
captured  fort,  they  knocked  open  some  barrels  containing  some 
kind  of  grain,  of  small,  dark  kernels,  such  as  they  had  never 
seen  before.  It  was  not  corn  ;  it  was  not  wild  wheat,  nor  rye. 
It  was  powder.  The  grains  were  scattered  over  the  floor.  Ac- 
cidentally they  were  ignited.    A  terrific  explosion  of  the  whole 


THE  BISTOnr  OF  SIMtle.  jj 

magazine  ensued.  It  w«  a  phenomenon  of  thunder  roar  and 
of  voloan,e  r„,n,  which  would  have  appalled  any  l^^X 
Timber,  eannons,  merchandise,  and  the  mangled  boTs  of  *e 

crater  of  devouring  flame. 

The   ignorant,  superstitious  Indians  were    appalled  beyond 
all  conception  bv  this  carnntrp      tx^a  a     j        ff«"cu  ueyona 

their  brefhren  the  w  1^3    wt  thlGrr  s°  •*!""•  "' 
with  the  Indians  for  theirattaok  u^rth^cotrA'aChrhT 

:erb:rirr"r:^:d'!""°^""'^^^^ 

They  had  not  been  struck  down  by  bullet  or  arrow  or  club 
tLr  "  ^P^/";'"'"'-  »--lous  power,  which  hal  a  sa  led 
them     They  had  conqnered  the  white  pian ,  and  then  this  new 
.n™.ble,  resistless  ally  had  overwhelmed  them,..ith  destmcZ' 
They  could  not  contend  against  thunderbolts,  and   upheaviT^ 
earthquakes,  and  bursting  flames.    It  matte^d  not  to  Them 
whether  these  tremendous  energies  were  wielded  by  bad  spirto 
or  good:  the.r  only  safety  was  in  immediate  flight.     They  S 
to  their  canoes,  and  paddled  swiftly  from  the  settlemenT  ^ft 
no  disposition  to  approach  it  again. 
Such  is  the  story  which  has  descended  to  us.    It  may  not  be 

iVoertln  "Will  ""  '"''°"'"'  ^''°  ^^^'^''^>^  "•     "It 

iscertoin,    Williamson  says,  "  that  it  was  believed  to  be  true 

^^  the  ancient  and  well-informed  inhabitants  on  Sagadaho™ 
The  colonists,  who  had  thus  sown  the  wind,  were  now  in 

we'rl'l'ur^"''"";'  "  '''"'  "'»P'"8  '"«  -W^W""     The™ 
and^il        r  *'""'  r"  """"S  them,  men  of  philanthropv 

sTnisT^I        Tf  '"''"°P'  """■-»  «»'""'«-     But 
sm  18  a  fai  more  potent  agent  of  action  than  holiness.    A  few 

wZrLTT  ^V^'^'y  '"«  most  vigorous  frame      tVZ 
which  Gods  love  has  gi-iidually  devdooed   thrnn^i,  «,.  V 

which  the  industry  of  a  century  has  reared,  the  torch  of  the 
incendiary  may  lay  in  ashes  in  a  few  hours, 

1  See  Supplement  to  Kiiig  Philip's  War.  1678.  p.  JS. 


68 


THE  VICTORY  OF  MAINE. 


There  may  have  been  even  a  majority  of  the  colonists  good 
men.  But,  were  one-third  of  their  number  thoroughly  bad,  they 
could  have  thwarted  all  the  measures  of  the  good.  They  could 
cheat  the  Indians,  rob  them,  shoot  them,  insult  their  wives  and 
daughters,  j?nd  thus  inflict  an  amount  of  injury  which  all  the 
efforts  of  the  true  Christians  could  not  repair.  One  kidnapping 
Weymouth  can  arouse  an  hostility  which  many  honest  voyagers 
may  vainly  endeavor  to  appease. 

The  colonists  were  now  freezing,  starving,  and  quarrelling 
among  themselves.  In  those  dreary  log-cabins  there  was  no 
happiness.  Frowns  were  upon  every  brow,  murmurs  upon  all 
lips,  gloom  in  every  heart.  It  is  to  be  inferred  from  the  brief 
narrative  we  have,  that  the  two  vessels  which  had  conveyed  the 
colonists  to  the  Sagadahock  had  returned  to  England.  These 
ships  could  have  carried  back  only  the  tidings  of  the  successful 
landing  of  the  colony.  The  Plymouth  Company  promptly  fitted 
out  another  ship,  with  supplies.  Early  in  the  spring  this  ship 
cast  anchor  before  the  already  dilapidated,  impoverished,  decay- 
ing town  of  St.  George.  The  colonists,  instead  of  landing  the 
supplies,  rushed  on  board  the  ship,  determined  with  one  accord 
to  return  to  England. 

The  Indians,  bitterly  hostile,  could  not  be  induced  to  venture 
into  their  settlement  with  any  provisions.  It  was  only  at  the 
imminent  peril  of  their  lives  that  the  English  could  leave  their 
rampart  of  logs,  to  penetrate  the  interior  on  foraging  expedi- 
tions. Their  storehouse  was  burned.  They  had  no  articles 
left  for  traflSc.  Whatever  they  obtained  they^  would  be  com- 
pelled to  grasp  with  robber  hands. 

Thus  influenced,  they  all  abandoned  the  colony.  Their 
return  to  England  excited  the  surprise  and  the  deep  regret  of 
the  Plymouth  Company.  They  carried  back  the  most  deplora- 
ble report  of  the  charactej.'  of  the  country,  its  climate,  its  soil, 
and  especially  of  its  inhabitants.  «  The  native  Indiana,"  they 
said,  "  are  the  outcasts  of  creation.  They  have  no  religion,  but 
are  merely  diabolical.  They  are  the  very  ruins  of  mankind ; 
the  most  sordid  and  contemptible  part  of  the  human  species." 

On  the  other  hand,  the  French,  who,  not  many  years  after, 
established  a  settlement  among  the  Indians  of  the  upper  Ken- 


THE  in  STORY  OF  MAINE.  gg 

nebec  and  who  lived  .-ith  them  not  only  on  terms  of  peace 
but  of  strong  personal  friendship,  wrote  of  them  - 

01   the  Plymouth  Company,  died;    but  his  sou,  Sir  Fianek 
Popham,  for  several  yea,,  sent  a  ship  annually  to    he  coast 

oeost  '':;,fat  t'""./°t  'T\  »^'  '■"-v-fwas  n^  sue. 
^r^T'  T  f "'  ''''^•"'oned  such  operations.     But  it  is 

oonHdenUy  asserted   that  other  adveuturL  were  freqaentlv 

::,™gfs^  """'•  "^°''«'' "°  --* "-  ■»"-»«  of  therpS 

The  French  were  in  Canada  prosecuting  a  very  successfnl  f„r 

by  which  the  Indians  conveyed  tidings  of  important  events  to 
the  remotest  tribes.     Unquestionably  the  Indians  of  Massachu 
jet^Jad  heard  accounts  of  the  conduct   of  thf  E^nglLht 

«e™;torXis^^tr^^"'' ''-  '^^^ 
it  i^  your  paru;  Xzic:^::'^ ""' "''"  °» -'->■  -^ 

t-outrmcourt.     He  went  on  an  exploring  and  trading  tour,  along 

I  n^T^  V  ^°"*«*8«^o«k.  by  William  Allen,  p  12 

Hiibbard'8  New  Enrfanrt  n  H7 .  d-* .  '  P" .    '     ^ 

s-  —  !  -  ...ivc  .-3  .a-iiaais,  p.  25. 


■ 


70 


THE  UJSTOXr  OF  MAINE. 


the  coasts  of  what  are  now  Maine  and  Massachusetts,  as  fai 
south  as  Capo  Cod.     There  lie  fell  into  an  altercation  and  a 
fight  with  the  natives.     We  know  not  who  was  the  aggressor, 
or  what  was  the  cause  of  the  conflict.     Poutrincourt  does  not 
inform  us,  and  the  Indians  had  no  one  to  tell  their  story.     Two 
of  the   Frenchmen  were  killed,  and  others  wounded.     What 
slaughter  was  inflicted  upon  the  Indians  we  know  not.     Pou- 
trincourt continued  his  cruise  several  leagues  farther,  until  he 
cast  anchor  where  the  natives  had  not  heard  of  his  battle  with 
the  Indians.     Five  of  these  innocent,  unoffending  men  came 
confidingly  on  board  his  vessel,  and  offered  some  furs  for  sale. 
He  seized  them,  and  put  them  all  to  death,  probably  liangin.^ 
them  at  the  yard-arm.     This  was  his  retaliation.     Ther<)  is 
implanted  in  the  bosom  of  most  men  a  sense  of  justice,  which 
leads  tbem,  in  view  of  such  crimes,  to  find  some  degree  of  com- 
fort in  the  thought,  that  there  is  a  day  of  judgment  to  come, 
and  that  the  wicked  shall  not  ,go  unpunished.    It  is  recorded 
that  this  circumstance  led  Poutrincourt  to  form  a  very  uvfavor- 
able  opinion  of  the  disposition  of  the  Indians. 

After  such  an  occurrence  it  is  not  strange,  that  when,  a  few 
years  later,  our  Pilgrim  Fathei-s  landed  upon  Capo  Cod,  they 
should  have  been  attacked  by  the  natives.*    It  is  thus  that  one 
bad  man  can  inflict  an  amount  of  injury  which  many  good  men 
cannot  repair.     Poutrincourt  returned  to  Port  Royal,  where  ho 
and  his  companions  lived  in  such  revelry,  probably  outraging 
the  Indians  in  various  ways,  that  the  clergy,  who  were  sincerely 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  the  natives,  refused  tq  remain  in  the 
settlement.     Biencourt,  the  sou  of  Poutrincourt,  was  even  worse 
than  his  father.     Ruling  in  the  place  of  his  father,  who  had 
gone  to  England,  his  conduct  was  infamous.     Annoyed  by  the 
rebukes  and  remonstrances  of  the  missionaries,  he  threatened 
them  with  corponU  punishment.     They  abandoned  Port  Royal, 
and  removed  to  Mount  Desert,  where  they  were  received  by  the 
natives  as  friends  and  brothers.     The  names  of  these  two  good 
men,  Messrs.  Biard  and  A(ass$,  deserve  to  be  perpetuated." 
Mount  Desert  is  the  largest,  and  certainly  the  most  beautiful 

j  Se6  niMrrative  of  tlie  first  -mooimter  in  the  Life  of  Miles  Standisli 
Bairtl's  IJelaUon,  L'Escarbof «  Histoire,  CharlevoLx'a  Histoire. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  JJ 

island  on  the  cou,.  of  Maine.  It  'as,  indeed,  but  few  rivals  on 
tins  globe.  Th.  island  is  fifteen  miles  long,  and  seven  miles  in 
average  b.eadui,  containing  sixty  thousand  acres.  The  scenerv 
18  surpassingly  bea.Uiful.  The  towering  mountains  of  the 
interior  raise  their  forest-crowned  brows  so  high,  that  they  can 
be  discerned  »t  the  distance  of  sixty  miles  at  sea.  Separated 
from  the  main  land  but  by  narrow  serpentine  creeks,  which 
were  sheltered  from  winds  and  waves,  and  were  abounding  with 
fin  and  shell  fish,  it  iiad  been,  for  centuries  which  no  man  can 
count,  a  favorite  r.^sort  for  tiie  Indians. 

Tho  sublimity  and  loveliness  of  the  scenery  pleased  the  eye 
of  the  natives      Here  they  reared  their  comfortable  cabins,  and 
lined  them  with  furs.     Wood  was  abundant  for  their  winte, 
files.     1  here  was  a  great  amount  of  game  in  the  mountain., 
conisLHig  o(  bears,  raccoons,  foxes,  rabbits,  and  fowls  of  various 
kinds.     The  marshes  and  meadows  were  stocked  with  beaver 
otter,  and  musquash.     The  sunny  valleys,  walled  in   by  mouni 
tains  and  forests    were  rich   in   verdure,  and   blooming  with 
lo-  ors.     They  often  waved  with  harvests  of  golden  corn.     Over 
the  placid  waters  of  numerous  creeks  and  inlets  and  bays,  the 
buoyant  canoe    of  the   native    could  glide   in  perfect  safety. 
There  were  many  lakelets  open  to  the  sea,  to  which  the  ale- 
wives  ,n  the  spring  resorted  in  enormous  numbers,  to  deposit 
their  spawn.     It  has  been  well  said,  — 

"  Mount  Desert  is  remarkable  for  its  size,  its  singular  topography  its  bold 
and  wild  scenery,  and  still  more  for  its  wilder  and  "stranger  Sv     ivhl 
evernsxts  it,  if  he  is  familiar  with  its  earliest  records  Id  legenZ' wiU^^^^ 
he  arts  upon  some  bold  pinnacle  of  its  mountains,  and  glances  ov^i- ^s'ea 
cradled  islands,  its  sun-burnished  creeks,  its  mountain  fake     and    tflp 
like  ravmes,  almost  expect  to  see  the  savage  emerge  from  some  glen  oi-  to 

mente  of  hi    r™'  ^'"J^^"--' ^^"^  ^-S\^-^>  l^^a-e,  or  SpaL,  in  he  haWl- 
ZrHK    ,       •?™';.''''''  ''^^'P'^  hat,  peaked  beard,  slashed  doublet  and 

There  is  a  large  cluster  of  islands  here,  separated  but  by 
narrow  channels,  the  intricacy  of  whose  waters  it  would  be 


»  History  of  Kew  Englaml,  by  Conli.lrre  and  Mam 


iflekl. 


I 


4 


72 


TUB  B J  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


difficult  to  describe.     These  islands,  Great  Cranberry,  Little 
Cranberry,  Lancaster,  and  Duck,  contain  from  fifty  to  six  hun- 
dred acres  each.    Several  families  now  reside  upon  them.     Be- 
tween Great  Cranberry  and  Lancaster  Islands  there  is  a  fine 
harbor  called   The   Pool,  which  afiFords  excellent  anchorage. 
Here,  it  is  supposed,  Messrs.  Biard  and  Massti  located  themselvei. 
in  the  year  1609.     The  ruins  of  an  old  settlement  at  this  place 
are  still  visible.^    In  the  solitudes  of  this  profound  wilderness, 
those  self-denyiuor  men  reared  their  lowly  huts,  cultivated  their 
little  garden,  and,  uncheered  by  the  presence  of  wife  or  child, 
living  upon  Indian   fare,  and  conforming  to  Indian  customs, 
labored  with  untiring  zeal  for  five  years,  to  instruct  the  Indians, 
and  to  lead  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away  the 
Bins  of  the  worid.     Thes(!  men  were  Christians.     It  matters  not 
to  what  denomination  they  belonged.     "  By  their  fruits  shall 
ye  know  them." 

The  disastrous  result  of  Poph^m's  colony  seemed,  for  a  time, 
almost  entirely  to  extinguish  the  desire  to  form  settlements  in 
this  part  of  the  New  Worid.  But  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  soon 
recovered  from  the  blow.  Probably  his  investigations  convinced 
Inm  that  the  failure  was  entirely  owing  to  the  folly  of  the 
colonists,  and  that  Maine  was  a  goodly  land,  yet  destined  to  be 
the  abode  of  wealth  and  culture.     He  wrote,  — 

4V,  "  ^\^  1\  '''^^'''  ""^  *^  ''"™^*^'  ^  "^-^'^^  ^''^  too  °>'^ch  experience  in 
the  world  to  be  frightened  with  such  a  bla«t.    Many  great  kingdoms  and 

lar^e  territories  more  northerly  seated,  and  by  many  degrees  colder,  are 

plentifully  inhabited;  divers  of  them  being  stored  with  ng  better  commodi- 

ties  than  these  parts  afford,  if  like  industry,  art,  and  labor  be  used."  » 

Gorges  purchased  a  ship,  employed  Richard  Vines  as  captain, 
but  sought  in  vain  for  colonists.  The  region  was  now  in  such 
bad  repute  that  none  wished  to  seek  in  it  a  new  home.  There 
was  much  solicitude  in  the  English  court,  lest  the  enterprising 
Prench  should  plant  their  settlements  along  the  coast,  and 
obtain  the  entire  control  of  the  country.     Their  colony  at  Port 

*,,  '  T"f!!"'''°'  ''°''  '    P-  ^^-    ^''«  Cranberry  Islands  were  so  called  becaus* 
those  berries  were  so  abundant  there.    Duck  Island  swarmed  with  thote  bWs 
»  Gorges'  Narrative,  p.  22. 


TBE  BISTORT  OF  MAISB.  jj 

Royal  was  for  a  time  quite  .uoe«»faI.  The  colonist,  were 
ca^yng  on  a  very  profitable  trade  with  the  Indian  t  t^ 
and  were  supplied  by  then,  with  an  abundance  of  Jn tS 

Gorges  seems  to  have  found  but  little  diSBoalty  in  hitinir 
men  as  saUors,  to  visit  the  coast  for  the  purposes  of  flshL  a„d 
purchasing  fu«  of  the  naUves.  Many  such  voyages  we  " 
hy  the  agents  of  Gorges  and  others.  Some  of  these  Interpn^es 
proved  very  successful.  Those  adventurei-s,  the  common 
«..lo«  were  ge«e.j.lly  rude,  unprincipled  men,  more  brutTfar 
than  the  natives  whom  they  contemptuously  called  savages 

Monhegan  became  the  prominent  point  for  traffic  on  the 

in  ^^z^^f^  rlsTrtldtirrr 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Abraham  Jennings  claimed  to  have 
purebred  thjs  island  of  some  Indians.  It  b  not  p"e  thai 
his  title^eed  would  bear  any  very  close  investigation  He 
was  a  flsh-merchant  from  Plymouth,  Eng.,  and  wasCpartnt 
sh,p  wth  Abner  Jennings  of  London.  They  had  opened  qui^ 
a  lucrafve  trade  in  this  coast,  employing  many  ves^eh 
annua  ly>n  cod-flsheries  and  the  purchaL  of  f;rs.  Thermen 
had  stations  on  the  neighboring  mainland  of  Pemaqui^  anS 
probably  also  on  some  of  the  islands  which  encircle  and  tto 
create  Boothbay  Harbor. 

These  stations  amounted  merely  to  points  which  they  neriod- 

t™de  ^Uh  the"  fr''"'".^"*^' '"  ^^  *"-  -^'""dt 
t.ade  w,th  the  Indians.     Thus  Monhegan  became  not  only 

f^  Zrr.    ""''T*  "■"'  ™«ors,  but  the  important  dS 
for  all  the  fishing  and  trading  vessels.  ^ 

In  the  year  1611  Samuel  Argal,  who  subsequently  became 

was  driven,  by  a  series  of  gales,  far  away  to  the  north     Find- 
•ng  himself  near  the  coast  of  Maine,  he  decided  to  visil  the 


|4.4:*2gl5 


74 


THE  UI8T0RT  OF  MAINE. 


fiahxng-grounds  of  Monhegan,  of  which  he  had  heard  much. 
lie  '  vst  made  the  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Penobscot  Bay  :  there 
hfi  lound  a  small  island  so  abounding  >«  seals  that  he  called  it 
aeai  Rock.  This  name  it  still  retains.  He  was  in  the  vicinity 
of  Mount  Desert.  We  know  but  little  more  respecting  this 
voyage ;  but  the  familiarity  he  thus  gained  with  these  waters 
enabled  him,  three  years  later,  successfully  to  prosecute  one  of 
the  mos^  \Lii^m,VAu^,  expeditions  of  the  times,  whatever  may  be 
the  verdict  as  to  its  justiacation.  We  shall  soon  allude  to  this 
enterprise. 

About  the  same  time  Capt.  Edward  Harlow  was  sent  to 
explore  Cape  Cod  and  its  surroundings.  He  directed  his  course 
first  to  Monhegan,  and  took  shelter  in  its  snug  harbor.  The 
natives  were  now  in  the  habit  of  visiting  the  island  in  large 
numbers,  eager  to  traffic  with  the  newly-arrived  ships.  This 
man,  without  any  provocation  whatever,  villanously  enticed 
three  Indians  on  board  his  ship,  and  seized  them  as  captives. 
One  of  the  three,  Peckmo,  being  a  very  strong  man,  after  a 
desperate  struggle  broke  away,  and,  plunging  overboard,  swam 
to  the  shore. 

Immediately  he  aroused  all  the  Indians  around  to  the  rescue. 
The  valiant  men,  with  arrows  alone  for  their  weapons,  put  off 
m  their  canoes  to  rescue  their  friends  thus  treacherously  im- 
prisoned in  the  oak-ribbed  ship.  Their  heroic  efforts  were,  of 
course,  unavailing.  The  long-boat  of  the  ship  was  floating  at 
Its  stern.  The  Indians,  sweeping  the  deck  with  a  shower  of 
arrows,  succeeded  in  cutting  away  the  boat,  and  carrying  it 
ashore.  As  they  knew  that  Harlow  would  make  an  effort  to 
recover  it,  they  filled  it  with  sand,  having  placed  it  in  a  position 
where  with  their  arrows  they  could  defend  its  approaches. 

Harlow  sent  an  armed  band  on  shore  to  recover  the  boat. 
The  exasperated  natives  fought  with  desperation.  We  know 
not  how  many  Harlow  succeeded  in  killing  ;  but  we  are  happy 
to  know  that  the  natives  drove  Harlow  off  without  his  boat. 
In  this  conflict,  so  disgraceful  to  Harlow,  three  of  his  men  were 
sorely  wounded.  The  kidnapper,  however,  carried  off  two  of 
his  captives,  Monopet  and  Peckenine.  Then,  spreading  his  sails 
for  Cape  Cod,  the  miscreant  repeated  the  crime  there.     Three 


TBn  B/sToar  or  maiiie.  7, 

iiuoffending  Indians,  who  had  come  from  a  distonce  to  t.h. 
;u|ch„n.ge,  were  lured  to  a.cend  his  deek,  with  oCof  t^a<^o 
The  unsnapeefng  victims  were  entieed  into  the  eaWa  and  the 
oaken  doo«  were  locked  against  them.  Escape  w«  «  toilt 
11  as  from  the  stone  and  iron  dungeons  of  the  W  Se 
three  unhappy  victims  of  villanv  were  called  Zl  . 
Coneoonum,  and  Epenow  ^  Sackaweston, 

wMeirZt  t  ?;  -rv™-  ^»"4--uh  l'd«r 

anrEr™  ^^™  '\^'«>»»'i>  "-d  it  would'^'srem  thtt  h" 
and  Epenow  were  both  taken  under  his  protection.. 

According  to  the  narrative  which  has  descended  to  us 
Epenow  was  a  very  shrewd  man.  Perceiving  in  Tha  hi^b 
estimafon  go  d  was  held  by  the  English,  he  thought  C  if tt 
could  make  the  English  believe  that^  he  knew  of  fgoM-aine  tn 
h,s  own  country  he  might  be  employed  to  accompany  TpZ 
to  his  nauve  laud,  tiat  he  might  guide  them  to  the  pretended 
mme.  He  communicated  his  plan  to  Assacomet  We tfow 
not  why  th«  man  had  been  detained  in  England  so  long  wbel 

=\tw  Z  Z^ZXT^^Z^ 

r  :hir^- 1  *^frrr  ^  t  •  ti  S 

account  which  Sir  Ferdinando  Goi^es  gives  of  Epe-w    '"  "* 

1  Prince's  Annala.  n.  73-  T»i»ii,n„_.-  n,^^       , 

.  r-  .  - , ^nr-^,  s  ijiography,  p.  355, 


h^ 


76 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


«ome  t>f»enty.uine  others.i  by  a  ship  of  London,  which  endeavored  to  sell 
them  aa  slares  in  Spain.  But  it  being  understood  that  they  were  Ameri. 
cans,  and  unfit  for  their  uses,  they  would  not  meddle  with  them.  Thi» 
hpenow  was  one  of  thera  whom  they  refused;  wherein  they  expressed  more 
worth  than  those  that  brought  them  to  the  marltet. 

"  How  Capt.  Harlow  came  to  be  in  possession  of  this  savage  I  know 
not ;  but  I  understood  by  others  how  be  had  been  shown  in  Undon  for  a 
wonder.  It  is  true,  as  I  have  said,  that  he  was  a  goodly  man,  of  a  brave 
aspect,  stout  and  sober  in  hU  demeanor,  and  liad  learned  so  much  EngUsh 
as  to  bid  those  that  wondered  at  him,  «  Welcome,  welcome  I '  " 

In  the  mean  time  the  Lnglish  were  watching,  with  great 
jealousy,  the  advance  of  the  French  colony  at  Pert  Royal,  now 
Annapolis.  There  was  a  French  lady  of  deep  religious  feel- 
ing, Madame  de  Guercheville,  who  was  strongly  moved  with 
the  desire  to  send  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel  to  these 
benighted  Indians.  She  was  a  lady  of  wealth,  and  of  influence 
at  court.  Having  obtained  from  De  Monts  a  surrender  of  hi? 
royal  patent,  which  it  will -be  remembered  granted  him  the 
whole  territory  called  Acadia,  extending  from  the  fortieth  to 
the  forty-sixth  degree  of  north  latitude,  she  had  the  title  of 
this  truly  imperial  territory  confirmed  to  her  by  a  charter  from 
the  French  monarch. 

Thus  this  lady  became  nominally  the  possessor  of  the  whole 
seacoast,  from  the  latitude  of  Philadelphia  to  the  distance  of 
more  than  a  hundred  miles  north  of  Halifax.  The  region 
extended  indefinitely  into  the  interior.  It  had  no  limits  but  the 
Pacific  Ocean.2  In  the  spring  of  1618  Lady  Guercheville  sent 
her  agent,  M.  Suassaye,  to  take  possession  of  the  land  in  her 
name,  and  to  set  up  her  arms.  He  made  a  visit  to  Port  Royal, 
and  thence  sailed  for  Mount  Desert.  Here  he  landed,  with 
twenty-five  colonists,  and  built  a  small  fort  and  several  log-cabins. 
The  crew  of  the  vessel  which  brought  over  this  colony  consisted 
of  thirty-five  men.  They  all  co-operated  with  great  energy  in 
rearing  the  habitations.  They  planted  a  cross,  and  named  the 
place  St.  Saviour. 

1  It  13  supposed  that  Gorges  here  confounds  those  stolen  by  Harlow  with  those 
«K,n  after  seized,  with  equal  viUany,  by  Hunt,  in  the  region  o"^  the  sZadaho^k 

H„IJh^- m?  ,    ,*^*'',;«"?»'k*^l«  gia^t.  ov  patent,  ^vill  be  found,  in  French,  in 
Hazard  s  Historical  Collection,  vol.  i.  p.  45. 


THE  HIBTORY  Of'  HAINE. 


7? 


It  lb  uncertain  whether  this  settlement  was  on  the  eastern  or 
sou.^m  portion  of  the  island.     The  lonely  misHionarie«,  Biarcl 
■•'•     Massd,  inid  reared  their  huts,  as  it  will   be  remembered 
V'^i    -ue  southern  shore.     The  intelligence  of  this  movement 
yr^  .peedily  communicated  to  the  magistrates  of  the  Virginia 
uy.     They  determined  to  cxpel  these  Frenchmen,  as  intrud- 
u.  upon  soil  which  the  English  claimed.     Eleven  vessels  were 
equipped,  manned  by  sixty  soldiers,  and  with  an  armamct  of 
fourteen  pieces  of  cannon.     It  was  a  formidable  army  for  such 
an  enterprise,  and  entirely  resistless  by  the  feeble  colony 

The  Bren-h  were  taken  quite  by  surpr.e,  as  this  war-fleet 
entered  their  harbor.     Their  cannon  were  not  in  position ;  and 
mos   Qf  the  men  were  absent,  engaged  in  the  various  industrial 
employments  their  situation  demanded.     There  were  two  French 
vesse.s  riding  at  anchor.     They  were  both  taken  without  resist- 
ance.    The    English    landed.      In    the  confusion,  one  of  the 
J^  rench  missionaries  was  shot ;  a  few  others  were  wounded     The 
small  number  who  were  in  the  fort  escaped   through  a  private 
passage,  and  fled  into  the  woods.     The  victors  tore  down  the 
French  cross,  and  erected  another,  upon  which  they  inscribed 
the  name  and  the  arras  of  the  King  of  England.     The  next  day 
all  ot  the  French  colonists  caxue  in,  and  surrendered  themselves 
and  their  stores  to  the  English. 

Terrible  must  have  been  their  disappointment  in  finding  their 
anticipations  thus  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  blighted.  Capt 
Argal  allowed  his  prinoners  their  choice,  either  to  return  to 
l^rance  in  the  French  vessels,  or  to  go  with  him  and  join  the 
colony  m  Virgima.  Fifteen  decided  to  go  with  him,  including 
one  ot  the  missionaries.  ° 

Argal,  thus  victorious,  directed  the  course  of  his  fleet  east- 

Zf '  ^f  p  !  o^  "T^"^  '^"  ^^^  ^^  ^"^^^>^'  ^^^«t  anchor  in  the 
harbor  of  Port  Royal.  Here  again  the  French,  unconscious  of 
any  danger,  were  found  unprepared  for  any  conflict.  They 
were  busily  employed  in  felling  trees,  rearing  buildings,  and 
preparing  the  soil  for  crops.  The  sight  of  eleven  war  v  ssels 
suddenly  entering  their  harbor  astounded  them.  No  resistance 
was  attempted.  Argal  sent  his  armed  boats  ashore,  applied  the 
torch,  and  in  two  hours  the  whole  flourishing  village  was  in 


78 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


ashes.  The  colonists,  impoverished  and  utterly  ruined,  were 
left  to  starve,  or  to  find  their  way  back  to  France  as  best  they 
could.  Argal  took  a  French  pinnace,  which  was  in  the  harbor, 
and  loading  his  vessels  with  the  cattle,  the  provisions,  and  such 
other  articles  of  value  as  he  had  rescued  from  the  flames, 
returned  to  Virginia. 

There  was,  at  that  time,  no  war  between  France  and  Ena- 
land.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  effort  to  settle  the  disputed 
<>laims  by  inendly  conference.  The  only  reason  assigned  for 
these  deeds  of  violence,  conflagration,  and  blood,  was,  that  the 
i-rench  were  trespassing  upon  territory  which  England  claimed 
Many  condemned  the  transaction  as  not  only  inflicting  need- 
lessly great  suffering,  but  as  contrary  to  the  law  of  nations.^ 

The  next  year  (1614)  Captain  Hobson,  in  the  employ  of 
Oorges,  set  sail  in  June  for  Cape  Cod.  He  took  with  him 
Lpenow  and  Assacomet,  as  guides  to  the  gold-mino  of  which 
they  had  spoken.  There  was  a  third  Indian  captive,  who 
accompanied  them,  by  the  name  of  Wanope,  who  died  on  ship- 

It  would    seem,  from    Gorges'  narrative,  that  Epenow  and 
Assacomet  were  held  as  prisoners.     When   the  ship  avrived  at 
the  harbor  to  which  Epenow  guided  them,  they  were  carefullv 
watched,  W  they  shoakl  make  their  escape.     As  soon  as  the 
anchor  was  dropped,  the  principal  inhabitants  came  crowding 
on  board.     Some  of  the  brothers  of  Epenow  were  with  them 
The  captain  treated  them  all  kindly,  but  kept  a  vigilant  eye 
upon  hi3  captives  that  they  should   not  go  on  shore.     In  the 
evening   the   little   fleet  of  canoes  left  the  ship;    the  natives 
promising  to  return  the  next  day,  and  to  bring  articles  for  trade. 
iTorges  the  younger,  who  accompanied  this  expedition,  writes, — 

«,.k?h*^^'''°''^-ir*'^^  ^"^  contracted  with  his  friends  ho  v.  he  might 
makeh  ,  escape  without  performing  what  he  had  undertaken.  For  that 
cause  I  gave  the  captain  strict  charge  to  endeavor,  by  aU  means,  to  prevent 
h,3  escape.  And  for  the  more  surity,  I  gave  order  to  have  three  gtntlemn 
of  my  own  kmdred,  to  be  ever  at  hand  with  him  ;  clothing  him  S  TonJ 
garments  fitly  to  be  laid  hold  of,  if  occasion  should  require  '  ^ 

»  This  subject  is  quite  fully  discussed  in  Prince's  Annals  Sniitli's  HI,tor^  -r^u, 
..ar'.^  Biography,  British  Dou,inions  in  North  An.erka         ^""''^ " ^'^^'^'^y-  ^^k- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


79 


"Notwithstanding  all  this,  his  friends  being  all  come  at  the  time  ao- 
11^:  :J^^   wenty  canoes,  and  lying  at  a  cerLin  distance  wirthTrbows 

^:tli:LT^^t''^  '^-^'^-     BuMhey not  moving 

ne  speaks  to  Epenowto  come  unto  him  where  he  was  in  the  forecastle  of  tt 

men'th«^rn.  -  *''°  "^  *'^  "^^'  °^  *^«  «^'P'  ^^t-e-  trtwf gel  tie 
men  that  had  him  in  euard.     SuddpnW  \^a.  o*„^    *        ^l  genwe- 

.0  tie  captain,  caU,  t/"hU  We'd'irCnshT  ZZ  T^t  TZ 
mtenm  he  slips  himself  overboard.  °  ^^^ 

"  And  although  he  were  taken  hold  of  by  one  of  the  comnanv  w  K.- 
a  strong  and  heavy  man,  he  could  not  be  stiyed.     He  was^HL^  *'i„  .7 
water,  but  the  natives,  his  friends  in  the^oats    seTsu  h  a  sW^^^ 
arrow  ,  and  came  withal,  desperately  so  near  the  ship,  that  they  carried  hiL 
away  m  despite  of  all  the  musketeers,  who  were  for  fL  !      k  , 

our  nation  did  afford.    And  thus  were  my  LS  o'  that  Zr'  T  ^°°'  ^ 
made  void  and  frustrate. "  my  nopes  o.  that  particular  voyage 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  this  was  an  heroic  achievement  of 
the  Indians  m  rescuing  one  of  their  friends  from  the  kidnap- 
pers.    We  learn,  from  otlier  sources,  that  the  musketeers  killed 
everal  of  the  natives,  and  wounded  more.     How  great  their 
loss  in  this  action  so  unjust  on  the  part  of  the  English,  we  do 

manvofl^  ''  "  '^''''  ''""''^  ^^^^  Capt.  Hobson  and 

many  of  his  men  were  wounded.' 

It  i3  sipposed  that  Capoge,  the  native  place  of  Epenow  was 
what  «  now  called  Martha's  Vineyard,  and  that  the  evel'h™ 

nect  on,  that  five  years  after  this,  in  1619,  Capt.  Dernier,  in  tlie 
employ  of  Sir  Ferdinand  Gorges,  visited  this^  island.    He  m 

told  him  of  the  ma.,ner  of  his  escape.     Dormer  had  come  on 
shore  with  a  well-armed  boat's  crew.    Epenow  and  his  finds 
n  some  way,  had  received  the  impression  that  Dormer's  obLct 

e  enlnTd  "  Z'  ""l'  *"'  """^  "'»  '"'*  '°  E"="'»<J-    Art- 
tie  ensued.     The  captain  was  severely  wounded,  and,  with  his 

erew  was  dnven  back  to  the  ship.    This  was  the  las    conflio 
which  took  place  upon  that  beautiful  island,  between  the  native 
.nhataUnta  and  the  adventurers  from  the  Old  World.    I  is  si' 
that  bquantum,  whom  Weymouth  had  stolen  and  carried   to 
England,  and  who  the  next  year  became  the  friend  and  inte^ 

'  amth-.  New  E„gl..a|  MoMoi.-,  n.„  Eugtoa  Memorial,  pp.  jj,  jj. 


80 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


preter  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,  was  with  Capt.  Dermer  on 
this  occasion,  and  saved  his  life.     The  captain  writes, 

"  The  Indians  would  have  killed  me,  had  not  Squantum  entreated  hard 
in  my  behalf.  Their  desire  of  revenge  was  occasioned  by  an  Englishman 
who,  having  many  of  them  on  board,  made  great  slaughter  of  them  with 
theii-  murderers  and  small  shot,  when,  as  they  say,  they  offered  no  injury  on 
their  parts."  ^ 

Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  U.  pp.  S-18. 


CHAPTER  V. 

EXPLOEATIONS  AND  SETTLEMENTS. 
Company-Various  Trading  Posts -SlTt?  ^lawlessness  _  Laconia 

saved  byPocahonUafthe  da?.ht«  o?  tt'l 'r"'"".."'^  ^"^ 
hatan.    In  the  vear  ]f!14  r    f  c    .  ,  ^"'""'"  <=hief  Pow- 

the  SagadahoLtitf tto'^t^df  a  S'^'  'h  "^  ^'^"''  ^- 
object  of  hi3  voyage  was  to  exoTot'.h.      ^  f"''  "  ^^''-     ^Le 

inthewha,e.3h^e.^.a„dL\?^r;;S  rr;:r  '"  ^"^"^^ 

«bSr,^i-rcf.r  i- «?-  --^ 

he  had  been  president  of  ZT        ,         ^'^^''  ^'^°^«  ^'^'-^  ^""e, 

N-.-..U  the  latter  pa  t  of  Aoril  Z  "'"'T''  '""''™  ^on- 
w..«a  to  the  mouth  of  he  kv'  f  ^°'"'  """■  <=" -."ed  thei. 
h«  central  station  helct  00!,^'".  Making- thia  anchorage 
"■^■l  trade.  I„  PekoUc  '  «  "  i  '"-  "'  ''"■°"''"'"' '"  "'*' 
^-on  vith  the  na"vt  lYkn::'  „:  T'/  "'"  ""»  -'■ 
strife.  S„,„.i  of  ,h,  Engh  ,t:  I  /'"  -"'rKr"  '"' 
XKle  of  the  natives      Th.  1        '  '  ""^  Probably  many 

Smith  says,-  '  '"^"S"  P™^=<I  I»-iitable.    Capt! 

0 

SI 


82 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


"  We  got,  for  trifles,  eleven  thousand  beaver,  one  hundred  martens,  aud 
as  many  otters.  We  took  and  cured  forty  thousand  fish,  corned  or  in 
pickle."  1 

The  net  proceeds  of  this  expedition,  to  the  proprietors, 
amounted  to  about  seven  thousand  dollars.  This  was  a  very- 
handsome  sum  in  those  days,  when  a  dollar  was  worth  as  much 
as  several  now.  Capt.  Smith  says  that  he  i.iade  these  purchases 
with  mere  "  trifles."  It  is  a  suggestive  fact,  that  he  states  that 
his  "  trifles "  were  not  much  esteemed  in  the  region  of  the 
Penobscot;  and  the  reason  assigned  was,  that  the  French 
traders  there  paid  the  Indians  much  more  liberal  prices  for 
their  furs. 

The  captain  himself  engaged  in  these  trading  excursions,  in  a 
boat  with  eight  men.  It  was  lovely  summer  weather.  The 
climate  of  the  sea-coast  of  Maine  at  that  season  is  delight- 
ful. The  magnificent  headlands  and  Eden-like  islands  were 
crowned  in  all  their  gloryi.  I  have  wandered  much  over  this 
world,  but  I  have  seen  no  region  which,  in  picturesque  beauty, 
surpasses  the  islands,  bays,  and  promontories  of  Maine,  when 
glowing  with  the  verdure  of  June  and  July. 

Capt.  Smith  visited  along  the  coast,  between  the  Sagadahock 
and  what  is  now  the  southern  part  of  Massachusetts,  forty 
Indian  villages.  He  enumerates  twelve  somewhat  distinct 
tribes.  They  all,  however,  differed  but  little  in  language,  cus- 
toms, and  condition.  The  treachery  of  the  white  men  had 
inspired  them  generally  with  dread.  They  were  in  continual 
fear  of  being  shot  or  kidnapped,  and  consequently  conducted 
the  traffic  with  the  utmost  caution.  On  one  occasion  there  was 
a  skirmish,  in  which  several  of  the  Indians  were  killed. 

In  July,  1614,  Capt.  Smith  returned  with  his  well-freighted 
ship  to  England.  He  left  the  bark  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ken- 
nebec, under  the  command  of  Capt.  Thomas  Hunt.  He  was 
instructed,  as  soon  as  he  had  freighted  his  vessel  with  fish  aud 
furs,  to  sail  for  Spain,  and  to  dispose  of  his  cargo  there.  Hunt 
proved  to  be  a  consummate  villain.  Capt.  Smith  seems  to  have 
been  a  very  worthy  man,  and  to  have  done  every  thing  in  his 

»  Description  of  New  England  by  Capt.  John  Smith.    London,  1816. 


rN4 


TBE  BISTOHT  OF  IIAWE.  „ 

Sri"'"  ""''  *"  "■""'  *"  '"'"'''^"'=«  »f  ">«  -ave,.    He 

.o  Pre°r„  ™:"Lt"Th.rtoT.^  °'  f'!  *""  *"  '  ™  ^»«.  linking 

chants  might  enjay  whoui  the  h^flf  ^    ..^       ""''  ""^  ''"■  ""'- 
country,  betray  Jfo„r.ndL™l„f  ,1  ""  '"^°  """^  P^^'  °'  "i" 

most  dShonesSy  /Ji'^K  ttl:  K  Slnt  ?''  ""  f^  «^ 
.n.n,  c^med  then,  with  hta  to  Malaga  L'^Mw"^^  ""  -»  ' 

These  poor  creatures  ,»ere  caught,  in  small  numbers    ar 
different  points;  several  of  them  were  taken  on  the  Ken,re'bec 
They  were  all  sold  in  Spain  for  one  hundred  dollar  each     Can  " 

w.».  region  hetwett  Hir  S" ^d 'CZTd  "' 
The  pecumaiy  success  of  these  enterprises  to  the  ooit  of 
New  England  revived  a  general  interest 'in  the  countryThe 
zeal  of  Gorges  was  roused  anew.  The  next  vear  HRI  v^  I,  ! 
some  of  his  friends  equipped  two  ships  for  C  hlet^  Thf 
were  placed  under  the  command  of  cipt.  Sm  H?t„ok  wi  J 

h,m  sixteen  colonists,  with  directions  to  establish  a  a  We  Jent 
on  some  favorable  point  which  he  might  select.  '""«"«"' 

But  in  this  sad  world  war  had  again  broken  out.    The  mil- 

a  J.ench  ship,  and  carried  prisoners  to  France.  The  sava.^^ 
were  no  better  than  the  Christians.  They  also  decided  to 
summon  all  their  energies  to  destroy  one  auoLr. 

Jans  Of  tt  '"*!'"»  7-. "-yed  against  the  Kennobeo 
Indians  Of  the  origin  of  this  war  we  know  nothing  ■  of 
>ts  details,  very  little.    The  Indians  had  no  historians     wl 

SI  '"tI'v'i  """*'■""'  H""''  "-"'^^  '*™^"a.,  I: 

tZI,  J'''', '"''"""'"ar-whoop  resounded  far  an^  wide 
Tomahawks  gleamed,  barbed  arrows  tore  their  way  thrlirt 
qurvenng  nerves  villages  blazed,  blood  flowed,  and  womeiZd 
ohUdren  shucked  beneath  the  wai-club.     Now  the  waTes  "1 


84 


THi:  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


ruin  and  woe  surged  in  one  direction,  and  again  in  another. 
Everywhere  misery  and  death  held  high  carnival. 

"  •  Tls  dangerous  to  rouse  the  Hon, 
Deadly  to  cross  tlie  tiger's  path; 
But  the  most  terrible  of  terrors 
Is  man  himself  in  his  vrild  wrath." 

This  desolating  war  almost  depopulated  the  realms  of  New 
England.  No  seeds  were  planted  ;  no  harvests  were  gathered. 
The  men  could  neitliev  hunt  or  fish.  All  their  energies  were 
employed  in  attack  or  defence.  Their  families,  driven  from 
their  blazing  cabins,  wandered  in  wretchedness  through  the 
forests.     Nearly  all  the  warriors,  on  both  sides,  were  slain. 

Famine  and  pestilence,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  followed  the 
ravages  of  human  passion.  A  fearful  plague,  one  of  the  most 
dreadful  recorded  in  history,  swept  over  the  whole  region. 
Many  tribes  were  quite  annihilated.  This  terrible  scourge 
flapped  its  malarious  wings  from  the  Penobscot  River  to  Narra- 
ganset  Bay.  There  were  not  enough  left  living  to  bury  the 
dead.  For  many  years  their  bones  were  seen  bleaching  around 
the  ruins  of  their  homes.  No  one  knows  what  this  disease  was. 
Many  have  supposed  it  to  have  been  the  small-pox,  since  it  was" 
described  as  very  loathsome.  Others  have  believed  it  to  have 
been  something  like  the  yellow  fever,  as  it  was  said  that  the 
sick  and  dead,  in  color,  resembled  saffron.  Morton  writes, 
respecting  this  'almost  miraculous  destruction  of  the  Indians,  — 

"  A  short  time  after,  the  hand  of  God  fell  heavily  upon  them,  with  such 
a  mortal  stroke  that  they  died  in  heaps.  As  tliey  lay  in  their  houses,  the 
living,  who  were  able  to  shift  for  themselves,  would  rim  away,  and  let  them 
die,  and  leave  their  carcasses  above  ground  without  burial.  In  places  where 
many  inhabited,  there  hath  been  but  one  left  alive  to  tell  what  became  of 
the  rest ;  the  living  being  not  able  to  bury  the  dead.  They  were  left  for 
crows,  vermin,  and  kites  to  prey  upon;  and  the  bones  and  skulls,  apon  the 
several  places  of  their  habitations,  made  such  a  spectacle,  after  my  cotilug 
into  those  parts,  that,  as  I  travelled  in  that  forest,  it  seemed  to  me  a  new- 
found Golgotha."  ^ 

»  Morton's  New  English  Canaan.  Amsterdam,  1837.  (He  came  over  to  this 
ootmtry  in  1622.) 


rer  to  this 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  gg 

It  80  happened  that  Capt.  Richard  Vines,  with  a  vessel's  crew 
passed  this  winter  near  Saco.     He  had  been  bred  aThys Lian* 
and  was  ir    ommand  of  one  of  Gorges'  trading  veL^s      I    u 
BHigular,  thPt,  while  the  natives  were  dvincr  «ii  „  ^^''^f:.   "^^ 
Bhip's  company  enjoyed  perfect  hLltl''        """'  '^"'  '^^ 

"Though  the  mortality, "  Gorses  writpq   «  w„»  iu 
haprsned  within  tte  memo^-  of  Z    "t  not  Z  '"^  ^'»"  *a'  '"^' 
bead  to  ache,  80  long  as  thej ,lai"th 're  "  °      °™  "^  "''°'  ""  '«"  "-elr 

Capt  Vines  named  the  place  Winter  Harbor.     He  had  bee,, 
duec ted  by  Gorge,  to  pass  the  winter  there,  tha    he  mth 
r  port  respecting  the  climate.      Gorges  had  no  faith  irfhe 
glooniy  accounts  of  Popham's  colonists,  who  renresented  M» 
as  unfit  for  human  habitation.    It  is  Manifest  ftlvfnefr 
well  pleased  with  both  the  country  and  the  climate  for  h    sub 
equently  took  up  his  residence  there.     His  dwellmg  was  relrod 
upon  a  beautiful  location  on  the  west  side  of  SafoTiver  !n 
what  IS  now  the  town  of  Biddeford  ' 

PlymoutlToci''"  f"  ''"°°'™'  '"■"  ^"S'""''  '^»'J«d  -Pon 

r?ur  J?L1^;-7T-  -^«  ott  ofM^iS 

oo^pan     f ;  t- tadtr^f^^^^^^^^ 

liie  new  charter  was  issued  Nov  3  ]fi20      v..  J       u, 
Wghts.  and  gentlemen    constituted'  ts'e'orpo  ^^  m  ^r^r:' 
The  terntory  conferred  upon  them  consisted  nfTb!  T, 
coast  extending  from  the  fortieth  to  Z  forty-eighth  llw 
north    atitude,  and  running  back  "  from  s^^f  sea '■  f  a     s 
11 01     the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  shorp^      T>  „    ,t  •    i         ' 
exwnded  according  to  this  gran^frt  the  la«  ulXtdT 

whole  brt'adX  of  t?'  "'  t"'  ''""^""^'  ""''  -"?'  »-" 
Whole  breadth  of  the  continent,  about  three  thousand  mUes  ^ 

vol.  i.  p.  222.  ^"giana,  p.  C20,  Williamson's  History  of  Main©, 


Ml 


86 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Ill 


The  breadth  of  the  continent  was,  however,  at  that  time, 
entirely  unknown. 

It  was  well  known  that  France  laid  claim  to  a  large  portion 
of  this  territory,  and  had  many  flourishing  trading  posts  within 
its  limits.  Perhaps  on  this  account  it  was  stipulated  that  no 
Catholic  should  be  permitted  to  settle  here.  The  company  had 
the  exclusive  right  to  trade  and  to  the  fishery  within  these  ter- 
ritorial limits,  and  the  power  to  expel  all  intruders.* 

About  twenty  miles  north-west  from  Monhegan,  on  the  main, 
there  is  a  short  but  broad  and  deep  river,  almost  an  arm  of  the 
sea,  called  the  Damariscotta.  It  is  navigable  for  large  ships 
for  a  distance  of  about  twelve  miles.  A  little  south-west  from 
the  mouth  of  this  river,  there  is  a  group  of  five  or  six  small 
islands,  which  have  become  quite  noted  in  history,  called  the 
Damariscove  Islands.  One  of  these.  Fisherman's  Island,  contains 
about  seventy  acres.  There  was  a  very  good  harbor  here,  and 
it  was  considered  an  important  rendezvous  in  conducting  the 
fisheries.  About  a  mile  south  there  is  a  larger  island,  caDed 
Wood  or  Damariscove  Proper.  It  is  two  miles  long,  and  half  a 
mile  wide. 

During  the  year  1622  thirty  English  vessels,  engaged  in 
fishery  and  the  fur-trade,  cast  anchor  at  the  Damariscove 
Islands.  One  of  these  vessels,  "  The  Swallow,"  sent  its  shallop 
to  visit  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth.  Gov.  Winslow  also  repaired 
to  the  island  to  obtain  supplies  for  his  famishing  colonists.  He 
wrote,  — 

"I  found  kind  entertainment  and  good  respect,  with  a  willingness  to 
supply  our  wants,  which  was  done  so  far  as  was  able,  and  would  not  take 
any  bills  for  the  same,  but  did  what  they  could  freely."  » 

This  region  was,  at  that  time,  far  more  conspicuous  and  impor- 
tant than  Plymouth,  in  its  silence  and  solitude,  with  its  feeble 
and  apparently  perishing  colony.  During  the  summer  months 
quite  a  fleet  of  vessels  rode  at  anchor  in  its  waters.  Well- 
manned  boats  were  gliding  in  all  directions  among  the  islands 
and  along  the  shores.    Notwithstaading  the  great  depopulation 

1  Belknap's  History  of  New  Haiupshure.        «  Young's  Chronicles,  p.  293. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  §7 

r.t  .  K  .    r   •     '■>'  °'""^'  ""S"-  to  exchange  tlieir  fu«  for 
the  hatches,  kmves,  unci  iron  kettle,  of  the  .tranKer, 

rha  acco„„t  which  Wi,„Io„  give»,  certainly  indicate,  that 

the  .hori  «f  tl  Jd,  hn  1        r'r''"       ""?  ""  '"''""'"  "'"* 

,tc,r  wT "?  -^-  --0 -4r:;  ::;.r  : 

b   ak      -ff,  .hT''l"  TTr^  "'  "'"'"•  ""=«»"  '"  »-«P  'hose 
sTallowi  "^  '''-PPeare,!  with  the  .-obin,,  all  the 

At  the  south-western  extremity  of  Damariscove  Island  there 
w  a  deep  sheltered  inlet,  which  is  entered  by  a  narrow  t  1, 

Slope  o,  the  isia,^,r  ,„,:;  rtiirt  t:;;t;  re:::ir:;r 

t,ficat,ons  wh.ch  were  reared  in  those  .lavs.     There  ,ve  c  u  this 

of  a  p  ace  to  establish  a  colony.      He   hu.ded  a    P     "nW 
Th  re  he  met  an  Indian  chief,  one  of  the  lords  of  Pem  qn  d 
by  he  „,.,„e  „f  .s„,„o,et.    The  intelligent  rea.lcr  will  r   "^t; 
t^^nt  th,s  n,„n  ,s  renowned  in  the  annals  of  the  Plyn.onth  cinv 
H    had  been  stolen  by  the  kidnappers,  and  carrLl  to  Eng 3 

h  m  wi'th  tJT    ,  Z  T  "'*  ^'■"»''""  f™'"'»'  "ho  treated 
cZZ     ''^  '"'';°»' ''"■•'"''ss.and  finally  restored  hin,  to  his 

H:h  c^lonisL  '™"'"'"°  "^  "^"""^  '"^  "^'""  «->  "f  'he  Eng- 

But  a  few  miles  west  of  Damariscotta  River  there  i.  Sl,„. 
scot  River  with  bays  and  inlets,  sprinkled  wi\h  in  Is     ^I" 

oeauty.     It  ,s  uoubtless  destined,  in  the  future  historv  of  L, 

1e  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  the  can.=  „f  pi...:.,;    ..„ 
esent  no  scenery  to  rival  it.  "        "  "    ''''"'"'''  '"■'"' 


the 


8S 


77/ a;  msTORY  OF  MAtNK 


Ciipt.  liOVfltt  (,'urofiilly  oxpltnotl  iliirt  rogion.  Thore  were,  at 
thiit  timo,  nino  Hlnjm  utioltorud  near  togotltor  in  tlieso  Wiiters, 
engii^ed  in  HHliing.  ilu  roiniiitiod  llioro  four  diiys,  uiid  was 
visited  Ity  iniiiiy  of  llio  nivtivos  with  titoii'  wiven  and  oliildren. 
A  man  by  tlio  iiiuno  of  (^olto  Imd  orttahliHJuMl  what  we  shouhl 
call  a  ooinilry  storo,  iv(,  Iho  l>o:id  of  »)iio  of  Iho  oovos.  More  l»o 
carried  on  a  brink  trade  with  tl»o  siuiora  and  the  nativos. 
S(<v«>ral  of  tho  (>.lM«>frt  ^atlitnod  about  dipt.  Lovott;  and  lio  dealt 
HO  l»onoral)ly  witjj  them  as  to  win  tlioir  full  oonlldonoo. 

Several  of  these  chiefs  brought  some  very  rieh  beaver  roboH 
ft)r  sale.  The  sailor-s  stole  theui.  Lovett  made  every  possible 
effort  to  dete(!l  the  thieves,  and  recover  the  gootls.  lie  ran- 
gaeked  the  eabins  and  the  chests,  but  all  in  vain.  The  good- 
natured  chiefs  bore  their  disappointment  with  great  equanimity. 
Convinced  that  the  captain  had  done  all  that  could  bo  desired 
to  recover  the  stolon  furs,  they  tried  to  comfort  him,  saying, 
"Well,  you  cannot  Hud  them.  The  rogues  havo  carried  thera 
off  into  the  w«M)ds,  and  hid  thbm." 

They  were  so  iniieh  pleased  with  Capt.  Levett  that  they 
urged  him  to  remain  and  settle  in  their  country.  The  follow- 
ing characteristio  dialogue  took  plaoo.  asj  given  in  intelligible 
English.     Three  or  four  of  tho  chiefs  came  to  him  and  said, — 

••Why  will  you  go  bsvck  to  your  own  country  ?  Why  can  you  not  remain 
with  us?" 

"My  wifo,"  Ciipt,  Lovott  said,  "will  not  como  horo  unless  I  go  back  to 
fetch  hor." 

"Thcdojja  tak<'  your  wifo!"  thov  oxolaimoii  If  sho  will  not  oboy  your 
ino8S!i};o,  i\n«l  conic,  Rivo  her  a  p;ooii  lu>aliiisr." 

••  Hut  tlod."  VtK\it.  Lcvott  replied,  "  would  W  displeased  with  mo  wore  I  to 
do  that." 

••  Then."  said  they.  "  leave  her  alone,  m\i\  t^ikoanothor  wifo  iioro." 

"If  you  will  remain,"  one  of  them  continued,  "your  son  and  mine  shall  bo 
brothers,  and  there  sh.all  be  friendship  between  us  until  Death  comes  to  take 
us  to  his  wijiwam."' 

Levett  ooastetl  slowly  along  tho  shore  until  he  cai  -.e  to  a 
small  Indian  settlement  then  called  Quack,  now  York.''   It  would 

» I/tn-otrs  Voyajji'.  >taino  Hist.  Soc.,  vol.  il.  p.  86. 
5  This  is  .an  error.  The  place  called  Quack  wiis  not  tho  present  Y.>rk,  but 
wh.1t  is  now  Portland  iiarhor.  liCvett  had  a  grant  of  a  tract  of  land  here, 
and  on  one  of  tho  four  island-s  at  tho  entrance  of  tho  harbor,  now  known  as 
Cushinsfs,  Peaks,  House,  .and  Diamond  (formerly  called  FIi><j:)  islands,  built 
ft  house  —  tho  ftrat  built  by  a  white  man  within  the  present  limit<»  of  Portland. 
Lerott  proposed  to  call  his  settlement  York,  whence  arose  tho  error  noted. 
He  returne<i  to  EuKland  with  tho  purpose  of  brinj?insx  over  a  colony,  but 
never  returaed,  and  tho  exact  site  of  his  house  is  not  now  known. — Elwbll. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  UAiyg.  |9 

«eem  that  ho  had  inHpired  the  nutives  with  8o  much  oo„fldenoe 

in  h,m  that  they  had  no  fears  of  heing  kidr.upped.    He  writes,-. 

"  The  next  day  tho  wind  camo  fair;  and  I  sailed  for  Quack  with  the  kinir 

2Sr;  '"""'?'.''•-  '""^  -•'•-«.  ^o,  and  kitten.  inZ^hoT  m.n^;, 
•tt«indant«rowodl)yui.iathoiioanoea."  ms  nooie 

Much  as  I.evett  wan  pUjased  with  tho  pictiirosquo  beauty  of 
the  region  ab„„t  P.Mnaquid,  he  did  not  deem  it  a  suitable  looa- 
tior,  for  the  e.stal,lish.ne.,t  of  a  colony.  Tho  soil  was  evidently 
no  fertile  ;  and  iho  forests,  con.pose.l  mainly  of  evergreen  trees, 
did  not  allonl  suitable  timber  for  ship-building. 

iL  is  said,  that,  dining  the  year  1623,  Richard  Vines  and  others 
oommenoed  a  pi'imanent  settlement  at  Saco.  John  Oldham  a 
gentleman  of  property  and  high  position,  took  up  his  residence 
thorn  with  his  servants.  During  tho  ne.xt  six  years  ho  trans- 
ported  many  colonists  to  that  place  at  his  own  expense  ' 

It  IS  probable,  that,  during  the  year  1623,  in.lividuals  oom- 
menoed a  permanent  residence,  npo..  Arrowsic  Island,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Sagadahoc,  and  upon  tho  mai.dand,  at  the  elitrance 
o  the  river  at  Sheepscot,  at  Damariscotta,  at  l>en,aquid,  and  at 
St.  (reorgo  s  R.ver.a  Sovon  years  after  this,  it  was  reported  that 
eighty-four  tamilios,  besides  fishermen,  were  rosi.ling  along  the 
coast  m  this  region. 

These  men  were  generally  reckless  adventurers.     Some  were 
runaway  se.,n,en,  some  fugitives  from  justice,  and  some  those 
vagrants  of  civilization,  who,  by  a  strange  instinct,  seek  seclu- 
Bion  Irom  all  civil  and  religious  restraints.    TIh-  state  of  society 
was  d.stmguished  for  its  lawlessness.     Every  n.an  followed  hi 
own  impulses  unchecked.     The  grossest  immoralities  prevailed. 
The  Indians  were  cheated  and  outraged  in  every  way  to  which 
avarice,   api,etite,   or   passion    could    incite    depraved    hearts 
Ihere  was  no  sabbath  here;  no  clergy  to  proclaim  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Chnst,  with  its  alluring  promises  and  its  fearful  retribu- 
tions.     home  royal  commissioners  were  sent  out  to  investigate 
affairs.      Iheir  report  was  appalling.     This  led  the  Plymouth 
Company  to  adopt  vigorous  measures  to  reduce  society  to  some 
condition  of  law  and  order. 

Three  gentlemen  were  sent  over,-  Robert  Gorges  as  governor, 
Francis  West  as  admiral,  and  Rev.  William  Merrill,  invested 
with  authority  to  manage  public  affairs.  Their  power  seems 
quite  absolute.     They  were  instructed  -  to  do  what  thev  should 


I 


'Sullivan,  p.  219. 


'  Williamson,  vol,  i.  p.  228. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


think  just  and  fit  in  all  cases,  capital,  criminal,  civil,  and  mil- 
itary." Rev.  William  Merrill,  an  Episcopal  clergyman,  was 
commissioned  to  endeavor  to  establish  the  institutions  of  religion 
among  this  rude  people,  who  were  more  difficult  to  be  influenced 
than  the  Indians.  Mr.  Merrill  met  with  such  a  reception, 
that  he  soon  abandoned  the  effort  as  hopeless,  and  returned  to 
England  in  disgust. 

It  was  probably  during  this  year  that  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges 
established  a  c^olony  on  his  own  account,  at  the  mouth  of  York 
River,  which   was   then  called  Agamenticus.      He  purchased 
twenty-fcui  thousand  acres  of  land,  one-half  on  each  side  of 
the  river,  and  sent  out  a  company  of  mechanics  and  fivrmers, 
with   oxen   and  all   needful   tools.     The  management  of  the 
colony  was  intrusted  to  his  grandson,  Ferdinando  Gorges,  a^ 
young  man  of  rank  and  superior  abilities,  and  to  another  young 
man.  Col.  Norton,  whose  achievements  had  already  won  for 
him  considerable  renown.     The  settlement  was  commenced  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  river,  near  the  sea.^ 

It  was  just  before  this,  that  v/hat  was  called  the  Company  of 
Laconia  was  organized.  The  Plymouth  Company  made  a  grant 
to  Gorges,  Mason,  and  a  number  of  others,  who  were  wealthy 
British  merchaivts,  of  the  whole  territory  between  the  Kenne- 
bec and  the  Merrimack  Rivers.  The  region  was  called  Laco- 
nia.2  The  wealthy  proprietors  gave  a  very  glowing  description 
of  this  country.  It  was  in  their  view  an  earthly  paradise.  The 
climate,  midway  between  tropic  heat  and  arctic  ice,  was  perfect. 
The  soil  was  fertile,  rewarding  the  slight  labor  of  the  husband- 
man with  abundant  harvest.  The  forests  were  magnificent, 
furnishing  the  best  ship-timber  in  the  world,  and  were  filled 
with  game.  The  bays  and  rivers  swarmed  with  fish  of  every 
variety,  including  an  abundance  of  the  most  delicious  of  all 

1  Belknap's  Biog.,  vol.  ii.  p.  322. 
"  Becent  investigations  show  that  the  teiritory  between  the  Merrimack  and 
the  Kennebec  Rivers,  granted  to  Mason  and  Gorges  in  1622,  was  not  that 
known  as  Laconia.  The  latter,  secured  to  Mason  and  Gorges  by  patent  at 
a  later  date  (1629),  was  a  province  bordering  on  Lake  Champlain  and  extend- 
ing half-way  to  Lake  Ontario  on  the  west,  and  northward  to  the  St.  Law- 
rence River,  ^t  was  believed  by  Gorges  and  Mason  that  Lake  Champlain 
was  only  abouL  a  day's  march  from  the  coast,  and  a  company  was  formed  to 
develop  the  anticipated  trade;  but  their  agents  were  never  able  to  find  the 
province,  and  in  1634,  after  incurring  heavy  losses,  the  company  was  dis- 
•olved.— Elwbll. 


TB£  B13T0BT  OF  MAWB.  9| 

feh^  the  trout  and  the  salmon.  The  atmosphere  was  inyieor 
atog  and  healthy  in  the  highest  def-^ee,  and  the  skierutrivTed 
m  splendor  he  far-famed  skies  of  Italy.  It  i,  nrstmnl  thit 
snch  representations,  spread  broadcit  over  the  lid  Idd 
greatly  have  revived  the  zeal  for  emigration  > 

spread  inland.  The  Pilgnms  at  Plymouth  established  a  trad- 
ing house  on  the  Penobsoot,  and  another  at  the  mouth  of  ^I 
Sag^ahoo  near  the  site  of  Popham's  settlement.     They  It 

oalJed  both  Kennebeo  and  Sagadahoc.  A  few  mUes  un  the 
nvor  they  established  a  post,  where  they  kept  a  s"  «  Jeom 
and  merohandtae  in  deposit.  Qdte  a  luerative  trade  wi  Z 
ned  on  wrth  the  natives  for  furs.     The  celebrated  "  wZu^' 

wfft  U„e  I!h  T.  1  r/  ''"•'■  ™'^  «°'S^<»«'y  '"tooidered 
with  blue  and  white  shells.  Subsequently  brimantlv  colored 
beads  were  substituted  for  shells."  "nantly  colored 

It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  fix  with  precision  the  dates 
of  operatior-s,  thus  gradual  in  their  inception  and  growth     I 
was  probably  in  the  year  1628  that  these  moveZC  wei 
vigorously  commenced  upon  the  Kennebec.' 

.b.'^w!'"V'T  ^'^l^-J  «"«  P^tably  the  most  busy  spot  upon 
he  New  England  coast.  Two  British  merchants  had  purchaS 
t  on    ondition  th.t  they  would,  at  their  own  cost,  transport 

colonists  there,  and  establish  a  settlement.    A  eou  t  wLem 

long  established.     Thus  Pemaquid  bec:     e  the  centre  borh  o? 

law  and  trade.    It  is  said  that  it  was  then  a  more  important 

port  than  Quebec,  the  capital  of  Canada.    Its  populaTon  wa 

estimated  at  five  hundred  souls.* 
The  situation  of  Pemaquid,  which  was  the  most  eligible 

.nainland  site  near  Monhegan,  was  very  alluring.     The  1*  bor 

n.^.TS,,'?,!  IT^  -  "'"'  ^°"-''  "^"^^r.  vol. ..  P.  m:  wu- 

!  K°rnl'  '"'"'?'°'^'  !"•  ":  SewaU's  AncteM  Dominion,,  p  113 

N.W  E^lf  .a,  p.  Jj^"""""""*  B'J'-    S«  Prmc,  Ohionologioid  Htator,  ot 
*  Thornton's  Pemaqnid,  p.  65. 


02 


TEE  HIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


WM  a  small  circular  basin,  formed  by  the  gently  flowing  river, 
before  its  waters  entered  the  ocean  through  a  channel  but  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide.  This  bay  was  many  fathoms  deep. 
It  was  encircled  on  the  west  by  rocky  eminences,  with  a  clump 
of  trees  upon  the  extreme  outmost  point.  This  point  was  the 
site  of  the  ancient  town  and  harbor  of  Pemaquid.  V  \  Sewall 
writes,  — 

,  /' ^^®  P^'^^os"!*  ^^  evidently,  at  some  peiiod,  been  entirely  circumval- 
lated  with  water,  and  thus  separated  from  the  main,  with  which  it  was  prob- 
ably connected  by  an  artificial  way.  It  has  also  been  walled  in.  The 
outUne  of  its  defences  .an  stiU  be  traced.  Its  streets  were  paved  with  peb- 
ble-stones,  and  many  of  its  bmldings  were  of  like  material.  The  principal 
street,  passmg  longitudinally  between  the  extremes  of  this  peninsula  north 
and  south,  was  paved,  and  is  still  to  be  traced,  though  nearly  overgrown  with 
^ajs  or  covered  with  earUi.  The  outlines  of  the  fort,  and  the  position  of 
Its  tower,  m  the  south-westerly  extreme  of  the  peninsula,  and  immediately 
frontmg  the  harbor's  entrance,  are,  in  distinct  detail,  traceable  in  every 
m^o  *°"  i^''*''^'  ^"^"^  ™<»^<ieri°,fir  lime  and  rock,  the  fragments  of  ite 

It  is  indeed  an  interesting  locality,  not  only  from  its  rugged 
and  picturesque  scenery,  where  the  ocean,  broken  into  lakelets, 
and  where  islands  and  headlands,  add  charms  to  the  view  but 
from  the  historic  associations  which  meet  the  visitant  at  almost 
every  footstep.     The  writer,  with  a  partj.  of  gentlemen  inter- 
ested in  antiquarian  research,  visited,  a  few  years  ago,  this 
locality,  by  far  the  most  memorable  upon  the  coast  of  Maine 
A  luxuriant  mowing-field  now  covers  the  ground,  where,  two 
hundred  ond  fifty  years  ago,  the  hamlets  stood,  in  whose  streets 
the  moccasined  Indian  and  the"  European  adventurer  met  in 
eager  traffic.    There  is  a  small  space  enclosed  where  the  ashes 
oi  the  dead  repose. 

"  Life's  labor  done,  securely  laid    . 
In  this  their  last  retreat, 
Unheeded  o'er  their  silent  dust 
The  storms  of  life  shall  beat" 

With  eloquence  Mr.  Sewall  writes  of  this  region,  now  so 
silent  and  solitary :  — 

J^^t^^T  *^  '^"^^^"^^r  *•  *™i««  b*^«  fi^athered  like  eagles  to  the  carcass, 
and  the  dm  of  war,  m  all  its  accumulated  horrors  of  blood  and  carnage,  ha^ 

1  Ancient  Dominions  of  Maine,  p.  118. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  95 

raged.  The  ships  of  contending  nations  have  tinged  its  waters  with  human 
gore,  and  poured  their  i^n  hail  in  destructive  bromides  upon  Tt.  foS 
^aces  tm  the  ruthless  sto™  has  swept  its  streets,  and  crushed  out  atTn^J 
the  life  ^d  ener^r  of  its  defenders.  Here  the  red  man  with  a  howl  of  d^ 
ance,  and  the  white  man  with  the  subdued  voice  of  prayer  have  bitten  th* 
du-t  together,  amid  the  shrieks  of  forlorn  women  ani  hTple«  II  W' 

This  region  having  passed  into  tho  proprietorship  of  Brit- 
ish merchants,  rapidly  increased  in  population;  and  a  better 
class  began  to  appear  than  the  rude  sailors  of  former  years 
Mechanics  and  farmei-s  came.  The  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth  were 
gaining  strength,  and  their  fields  were  waving  with  corn  A 
brisk  trade  was  opened  between  Plymouth  and  Pemaquid,  shal- 
lop-loads  of  corn  being  exchanged  for  furs. 

There  was  peace  between  the  settlers  and  the  na  .os  Still 
there  was  no  cordial  friendship.  With  the  French  in  Canada  it 
was  difterent.  They  lived,  in  general,  with  the  natives,  affec 
tionately  as  >^rothers.  They  sold  powder  and  fire-arms  to  the 
Indians  as  ireely  as  any  other  articles.  They  travelled  amonff 
them  as  confidingly  as  they  would  have  journeyed  through  the 
provinces  of  France.  But  the  English  did  not  dare  to  trust 
the  natives  with  pistols  and  muskets.  They  seldom  ventured 
any  distance  from  their  fortresses  unarmed.  Even  a  royal 
proclamation  was  issued,  forbidding  the  sale  of  fire-arms  to  the 
natives.* 

Atiy  attempt  to  describe  the  various  grants  at  this  time,  made 
to  individuals  and  companies,  would  but  weary  the  reader.     The 
Saco  settlement  was  prosperous,  and  had  the  reputation  of  bein? 
highly  orderly.    In  the  year  1630  a  patent  was  obtained  grant- 
ing a  territory  called  Lygonia.     It  is  said  to  have  extended  from 
Kennebunk  on  the  west,  to  Harpswell  on  the  east.     Three  Lon- 
don gentlemen  were  the  proprietors.     To  encourage  emigration, 
they  pubhshed  very  glowing  accounts  of  the  region.     In  scene- 
ry, climate,  soil,  timber,  fish,  and  game,  it  was  every  thing  that 
was  desirable.     Thus  influenced,  a  company  of  emigrant  landed 
m  Casco  Bay,  at  some  point  now  not  with  certainty  ascer- 
tamed."    They  remained  but  a  year,  when,  dissatisfied  with  the 
country,  they  scattered  and  disappeared. 

1  Williamson,  vol.  I  p.  234. 

«  Williamson,  vol  L  p.  239;  Sullivan,  p.  305;  Hubbard's  Naw  England,  616. 


S4 


THE  BiaTORT  OF  MAINK. 


About  the  same  time  another  patent  was  issuec ,  which  subse- 
quently attained  much  note  as  the  Waldo  Patent.  It  covered 
a  region  of  thirty  square  miles,  and  extended  from  the  Muscon- 
gus  to  the  Penobscot.  Its  principal  object  was  to  confer  the 
right  of  exclusive  trade  with  the  Indians.*  The  vaiious  patents, 
granted  by  the  Plymouth  Council,  extended  along  the  whole  sea- 
board, from  the  Piscataqua  to  the  Penobscot,  excepting  the  small 
region  between  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec  and  Damariscotta. 

The  territory  of  Sagadahoc,  extending  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Kennebec  to  Damariscotta,  was  about  fiff  oen  miles  in  width. 
All  along  the  coast,  emigrants  were  gradually  pushing  their  way 
back  into  the  country.  There  was  a  region  called  "  Sheepscot 
Farms,"  where  fifty  families  were  gathered.  In  what  is  now 
called  Boothbayand  in  Woolwich,  many  fishermen  had  reared 
their  huts.  Various  incidents  of  minor  importance  must  be 
omitted  in  a  narrative  covering  so  much  space  as  is  included  in 
this  history.  One  event  occurring  at  this  time  merits  especial 
notice.  ' 

A  trading  port  had  been  established  on  the  Penobscot  at  a 
point  called  Bagaduce,  now  Castine.a  A  very  lucrative  trade 
was  carried  on  with  the  Indians,  mainly  in  furs.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  there  was  a  dispute  as  to  the  proprietorship  of 
this  region,  it  being  claimed  alike  by  the  French  and  the  Eng- 
lish. A  small  French  vessel  entered  the  bay,  and,  finding  the 
port  defenceless,  plundered  it  of  all  its  furs,  which  were  esti- 
mated to  be  worth  two  thousand  dollars.  Gov.  Bradford, 
of  Plymouth  Colony,  giv  thq  foUowing  description  of  this 
event :  — 

"  It  was  in  this  manner:  the  master  of  the  house,  and  part  of  the  com- 
pany with  him,  were  come  with  their  vessel  to  the  westward,  to  fetch  a 
supply  of  goods,  which  was  brought  over  for  them.  In  the  mean  time  comes 
a  small  French  sUp  into  the  harbor,  and  amongst  the  company  was  a  false 
Scot.  They  protended  that  they  were  newly  come  from  the  sea,  and  knew 
not  where  they  were,  and  that  their  vessel  was  very  leaky,  and  desired  that 
they  might  haul  her  ashore,  and  stop  her  ieaksj  and  many  French  compU- 
ments  they  used,  and  cong&  they  made. 

>  Williamson,  vol.  U.  p.  243. 

a  Some  spell  this  Biguyduce,  deriving  the  name  from  a  Frenchman  who  once 
resided  tjiere. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


95 


((' 


1  l^  f  °  *?'*'  *^^'"*  *•"*  """^  ^'^  *o"  8"nple  men  that  were  servants  an,» 
l»y  thu,  Scotchman  underatanding  that  the  4cor  and  the  re"  Ttl  'com 
pany  were  gone  from  home,  theyfell  of  commending  their  guns  and  ^1^ 
that  lay  upon  rack,  by  the  wall-side.  They  took  them  down  to  Took  a1 
them,  aekmg  If  they  were  charged.  And,  when  they  were  posZedo  them 
one  pr^ents  a  piece  ready  charged  against  the  ser/Jts  Td^oler  ^  !^^ 
tol,  and  bid  them  not  stir,  but  quietly  deliver  up  their  giods.     They  .Irri^d 

And  when  they  had  taken  what  they  pleased,  they  set  thim  at  libertf^d 
went  their  way  with  this  mockery,  bidding  them  tell  their  master  when  Je 
came,  that  some  of  the  Isle  of  Rye  gentlemen  had  been  ther"- 

It  would  seem  that  such  acts  of  piracy  were  not  infrequent 
m  those  lawless  days.  A  miscreant,  by  the  name  of  Dixy  Bull 
gathered  .piratic  gang,  and,  raising  the  black  flag,  ravaged  the 
coast  of  Maine,  capturing  several  vessels,  and  plundering  the 
unprotected  plantations.  The  freebooters  attacked  Pem^uid. 
Though  one  of  the  gang  was  shot  from  the  palisedes,  still  they 
succeeded  in  rifling  the  port.  ^ 

For  several  months  Bull  continued  his  ravages  along  the  east- 
ern coast.  Four  vessels,  with  forty  armed  men,  were  sent  out 
m  search  of  him.  Bull,  thus  pursued,  fled  from  those  waters, 
and  continued  his  piracies  farther  south.  At  length  his  sms 
dispersed,  and  he  returned  to  England  quite  enriched.  But 
there  he  was  arrested,  tried,  and  executed.* 

Another  very  serious  difficulty  occurred  this  year,  on  the  Ken- 
nebec River,  between  the  "  Plantation  of  Piscataqua  "  and  the 
Plymouth  Colony."    This  latter  colony  claimed  the  Kennebec 
Kiver,  and  the  exclusive  right  to  trade  with  the  Indians,  for  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles  on  each  side.     A  man  by  the  name  of 
Hocking,  or  as  some  spell  it  Hoskins,  from  Piscataqua,  entered 
the  Kennebec  with  a  boat-load  of  goods  to  exchange  for  furs. 
Saihng  directly  by  the  two  trading  ports  of  the  Plymouth  peo- 
ple, one  of  which  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  noar  the 
ancient  Popham  fort,  and   the  other,  as  we  have  mentioned, 
probably  just  above  Merrymeeting  Bay,  he  ascended  the  rive^ 
to  Cushnoc,  or  Cushenoc,  as  it  is  sometimes  spelled.a    This  was 

MaLIp-'T""'  "'  '  ^-  '^'  ^°*«°*  '^"^'^'^-«'  P-  "«'  Var-y's  History  of 
*  See  Williamson,  p.  263. 


96 


THE  mSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Where  Augusta  now  stands.  The  importance  of  the  trade  of 
this  region  may  be  inferred,  from  ihe  fact  that  forty  hogsheads 
of  beaver-skms  were  taken  from  the  river  during  thS  year 
There  is  some  discrepancy  in  the  details  which  are  given  of  this 
transaction,  but  none  whatever  in  the  general  facts.  A  boat 
with  armed  men  was  sent  up  the  river,  to  expostulate  with 
Hocking  upon  las  illegal  act.  We  cannot  give  the  result  more 
accurately  than  in  the  language  of  Gov.  Bradford :  — 

.nn"-?''*^  i!'  r'"-     "'  "''"^^  «^''  "°*^'°«f  °^  hi™  but  m  words.     So  he 
cons  dered,  that  now  was  the  season  for  trade  to  come  down,  and  that.^  he 

bet«t  '    r.?'lTu*°  '''''  ''  '^°™  *^«'°'  ^"  their  former  chCWouM 
be  lost  and  they  had  better  throw  all  up.     So  consulting  with  his  mJX 

were  wilhng  thereto,  he  resolved  to  put  him  from  his  anchors,  L  let'  li^ 

stf  Id  r        T:  ""'^  ''''  '*'^""'  ^"*  commanded  the  men.  that  non™ 
should  shoo  a  shot  upon  any  occasion,  except  he  commanded  them. 

He  spoke  to  him  again,  but  all  in  vain.  Then  ho  sent  a  couple  in  a 
canoe  to  cut  his  cable,  the  which  one  of  them  performs.  But  HockTg  tSes 
up  a  piece  which  he  had  laid  ready,  and,  as  the  bark  sheered  b;te^c!noe 
he  shot  him  close  under  her  side,  in  the  head,  so  that  he  feU  down  dead 
instantly.  One  of  his  fellows,  who  loved  him  ;ell.  could  not  hold  Zt  S 
a  musket  shot  Hocking,  who  fell  down  dead,  and  never  spa^e  a  worS!*  i 

This  event  caused  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  It  was  finally  set- 
tled without  the  clash  of  arms.  Lords  Say  and  Brook  wrote  to 
the  governor  of  New  Plymouth :  — 

.JZ\"T^^'^""^^l^"^'^  '^  ^''^'^''  have  despatched  a  man-of-war, 
and  beat  down  your  houses  at  Kennebec  about  your  ears.    But  we  We 

^aZ  LTr  ?T'  ^'''''"''''''  "^^  ''"^^  °*  «^«  Massachusette  maris 
trates,  and  Capt.  Wiggm,  our  agent  in  Piscataqua,  review  the  whole  cSe 
and  do  justice  in  the  premises. "  «  --i  -.  uie  wnoie  case, 

^  The  case  was  brought  before  the  Court  of  Colonial  Assistants 
m  Boston.  It  was  decided  that  the  Plymouth  Colonists  had 
the  exclusive  right  of  sale  within  their  patent.  It  was  adjudged 
that  the  act  of  shooting  Hocking,  though  in  some  degree  a  vio- 
lation  of  the  sixth  commandment,  was,  on  the  whole,  excusable 
homicide.  * 

serlef  *°'^  °*  Plymouth  Plantation;  also  Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  v.  p.  160.  2d 

«  They  so  spelled  it,  while  Bradford  spelled  It  Hocklns 

•  Wmthrop's  Journal,  p.  64;  Hubbard's  N.  B..  p  168. 

*  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  253. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PBOGBESS  OF  SJ5TTLEMBNTS.      ' 

'XllJJS^ri;r-.'?::'^etrp"7^^  two  RetaliaUon-^Men. 
Standlah-TheAdminSratlon^^^^L  O  ^'^^^-^^  -  Energy  .f  Zs 

under  the  guard  of  five  or  i  w!u  «  ^  ^"'^''^  *»^  P'*"'* 
«.is  POS.L...  dou^ae^r^ronrelS;  ofT^f "? 
P^ft'^t-lWdposaessionofthecounZ  '''•''"'''''"^ 

eon^'d:r:.^r;;:t:/r:V"""'''"'"'  ^  ^-  «°^''. 

^ad  been  granted  7^ V  the  t^f  r„or h7  t* 
descent  upon  the  Dlace   »r,/ n.r.,     "^oi  J? ranee.     He  made  a 

in  Which  t'wo  of^t^t^E^g  1  :r  kmed  "' wll?"''  <!'''"-' 
and  booty  araountmo.  ,n\w    T/  "'"'  '"^  Pnsonera, 

Mr.  AUerton,  SZl^Jt     r""""  <^°W  »«■"  «  agent, 
and  the  p^Zwin^' '"  '"''''™^  '^  ^'"O"'  «>«  Prisoners 

97 


9% 


THE  ni STORY  OF  MAINE. 


English  to  understand,  that,  if  they  trade  to  the  eastward  of  Pemaquid,  Ishall 
seize  them.  My  sword  is  all  the  commission  I  shall  show.  When  I  want 
help  I  wUl  produce  my  authority.    Take  your  men,  and  be  gone." 

Whether  tho  prisoners  were  released,  or  were  sent  to  France, 
is  uncertain."!  Many  of  the  traders  were  very  worthless  char- 
actera,  who  deemed  it  no  sin  to  cheat  an  Indian.  There  is,  in 
Casco  Bay,  but  a  short  distance  from  Cape  Elizabeth,  an  island 
called  Richmonds,  sometimes  spelled  Richman's  Island.  It  is 
about  three  miles  in  circumference,  and  contains  about  two 
hundred  acres  of  pretty  good  land.  In  the  year  1628  an  Eng- 
lish emigrant,  by  the  name  of  Walter  Bagnall,  took  possewrion 
of  this  island  without  any  title.  His  sole  object  seoms  to  have 
been  to  trade  with  the  Indians.  "  Bagnall,"  writes  Winthrop, 
"  was  a  wicked  fellow,  and  had  much  wronged  the  Indians."  » 

He  had  several  boon  companions  with  him,  and  became  quite 
notorious,  under  the  nickname  of  "  Great  Walt."  In  a  three- 
yeai-s'  trade  he  had  amassed  What  was  then  considered  a  large 
amount  of  property.  The  Indians  became  much  enraged  by 
the  wrongs  inflicted  upon  them  by  this  unscrupulous  gang.  In 
the  year  1631  a  chief,  by  the  name  of  Squidrayset,  or  as  some 
call  the  name  Scitterygusset,  with  a  few  warriors,  went  to  the 
island,  killed  the  Englishraea,  plundered  the  house,  and,  apply- 
ing the  torch,  left  behind  them  but  smouldering  ruins.  The 
savages,  who  had  committed  this  crime,  or,  as  they  considered 
it,  performed  this  act  of  justice,  retired  with  their  booty. 

Walter  Neal  was  the  agent  of  the  London  proprietors.  Gor- 
ges, Mason,  &  Co.  He  had  two  residences.  One  was  at  Kit- 
tery  Point,  and  tlfe  other  at  Portsmouth,  then  called  Strawberry 
Bank.  Five  men  were  associated  with  him.  They  carried  on 
quite  extensively  the  business  of  trade,  fishing,  salt-making,  and 
farming. 

As  soon  as  Neal  heard  of  the  assassination  of  Bagnall  and  his 
gang,  he  sent  a  party  to  the  island  in  pursuit  of  the  murderers. 
They  found  a  solitary  Indian  there,  whom  they  seized,  and  hung 
by  the  neck  tiirhe  was  dead ;  with  no  evidence  that  he  had 
any  thing  whatever  to  do  with  the  murders.     The  perpetrator? 

1  Kubbard's  New  England,  p.  163;  Wlnthrop's  Journal,  p.  67. 
*  Wiiitltfop's  Journal,  p.  30. 


THE  ff /STOUT  OF  MAINE.  f§ 

Of  the  crime  were  probably  then  far  awav  on  the  mainland.    It 
w  not  strange  that  the  unenlightened  Indians  should,  soon  after 
have  seized  upon  an  innocent  English  traveller,  wandering  upon 

death"    R  f  h'''  '"''  '^"''  ^"  '^*^^^'^^'-'  »^-«  P"t  ^im't^ 
Oeath.      But  these  outrages,  far  more  excusable  on  the  part  of 

werlT-H?   ^^T  '^'"  '"  '^'  P"^'  °^  enlightened  Europeans, 
were  rapidly  engendering  a  bitter  hostility  between  the  two. 

action  ^'"""r/'  '^TTJ  "'^''^  ^^^'^^  S'^««  °f  t^«  tra«B- 
action.     It  Ulustrates  the  difficulty  of  ascertaining  the  minute 

details  of  many  of  these  evente,  where  the  general  facte  ar^ 

undisputed.     We  give  the  naiTative  slightly  abbreviated!- 

-  Manatahqua,  caUed  also  Black  William,  was  a  sachem  and  proprietor 
o  Nahant.  Out  of  his  generosity  this  Ipdiaa  duke  gave  thiTplacrtTtl 
plantation  of  Saugus.  He  was  a  great  friend  of  Ihe  whites  JheTe  was  ! 
man  by  the  name  of  Walter  Bagnall,  a  wicked  feUowwho  had  much  ^ZeJ 

!f  th  '  K '  ''^:  T^^''^  "'*^  '^'  ™°"'»»  °f  Saco  River,  probably^^e 
of  those  whom  he  had  defrauded.  This  was  in  October,  1631  As  Z« 
vessels  were  upon  the  eastern  coast,  in  search  of  pirates,  n  jL«t  S 
they  put  jn  at  Richmand's  Island,  where  they  feU  in  with  MaSlhau!^ 
This  was  the  place  where  Bagnall  was  killed  about  two  yeaTs  before  Z 
whether  Manatahqua  had  any  thing  to  do  with  it  does  no^  appear  nor  do  I 
find  that  any  one,  even  his  murderers,  pretended  that  helrTn  anv  wav 
implicated.     But,  out  of  revenge  for  Ba^all's  death,  these  privl  hS 

BaS        1*^?T;-   cP"^  '^'  ^""^'^'y'  ''  -««  particularly  mentledtha" 

thafplTr       I  ''"^1"^"'  "^^  *^^^  '"«°'  -•»«  I-^-«  belonSng  to 
that  part  of  the  country.    This  Squidrayset,  or  Scittergusset,  for  whos^  aS 

Manal^hqua  suffered,  was  the  first  sachem  who  deededTnd  rFaSmou^) 

The  tribes,  in  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  the  State  were 
intimate  y  associated  with  the  French,  and  shared  with  them 
their  hatred  of  the  English.  They  were  much  enraged  w  th 
those  m  the  vicinity  of  Piscataqua,  accusing  them  of  acte 
of  hostihty,  and  of  sheltering  themselves  in  a  cowardly  manner 

outrfllrrrf "  ''  ''^  '^"^^^^'-    ^'  -«  ^-«  ^^V  fitted 
out  a  fleet  of  forty  wa.  canoes  to  attack  the  Piscataqua  Indians. 

Thi.  was  m  the  year  1632.     There  were  several  conflicts.     Af^ 

fairs  were  daily  becoming  more  and  more  complicated,  and  war- 

P.  i42TwSCsturii.ra(;:  '■ """'  ^^''^''  ^*°'^  °^  ^-  ^°«^-^* 

«  Drake's  History  of  the  Indians,  book  a  p.  sa 


100 


THE  UJBTORY  OF  MAINL'. 


II 


clouds  were  ribing  in  all  directions.  Thoughtful  men  among 
the  Hettiera,  were  filled  with  anxiety  in  view  of  the  increasing 
perils.  Tiie  Indians  were  becoming  more  and  more  unfriendly. 
The  French  were  exerting  all  their  influence  to  drive  the 
Engl'sh  out  of  Maine. 

English  pirates  were  sweeping  the  coast.  Robbery  and  vio- 
lence were  everj-where.  Gorges  became  greatly  disheartened. 
His  long-continued  enterprises  had  brought  him  no  returns. 
He  testified  before  the  Commons  of  England  in  the  following 
terms:  — 

"I  have  spent  twenty  thouaand  pounds  of  my  estate,  and  thirty  years, 
the  whole  flower  of  my  life,  in  new  discoveries  and  settlements  upon  a 
remote  continent,  m  th-?  enlargement  of  my  co.mtry's  commerce  and  domin- 
ions, and  in  carrying  civilization  and  Christianity  into  regions  of  savages." 

In  the  year  1G35  the  vast  territory  of  the  Plymouth  Council 
was  divided  into  twelve  provinces.     The  first  four  of  these  were 
within  the  territory  of  the  present  State  of  Maine.     The  first 
division  embraced  the  country  between  the  St.  Croix  River  and 
Pemaquid.     From  the  head  of  Pemaquid,  the  shortest  line  was 
to  be  struck  to  the  Kennebec,  and  thence  to  follow  up  that  river 
to  its  source.     The  second  was  a  small  division,  extending  only 
from  Pomaquid  to  the  Sagadahoc  River.     The   third  embraced 
the  region  between  the  Kennebec  and  the  Androscoggin  Rivers. 
We  suppose  that  both  these  rivers  were  then  considered  as  ter- 
minating at   Merrymeeting  Bay.      The  Sagadahoc  connected 
that  bay  with  the  ocean.     The  fourth  extended  from  the  Sagada- 
hoc River  to  the  Piscataqua.    It  embraced  the  previous  dis- 
tricts of  Lygonia,   Saco,  and  Agamenticus.     T^hus  the  whole 
territory  of   what  is  now  the  State  of   Maine  was  districted 
from  the  St.  Croix,  its  north-eastern  boundary,  to  the  Piscat- 
aqua at  its  south-western  terminus.* 

On  the  25th  of  April,  1635,  the  Plymouth  Council  held  its 
last  meeting.  In  surrendering  it^A  charter  to  the  king,  it  entered 
upon  itb  books  the  following  melancholy  record :  — 

"We  have  been  bereaved  of  friends,  oppressed  with  losses,  expenses,  and 
troubles;  assaUed  before  the  privy  councU  with  groundless  charges,  and 

»  Cbalmera'  Political  Annals,  p.  472;  Hubbard's  Narrative,  p.  294:  WUliam- 
son's  History,  vol.  1.  p.  246  '    """*™' 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE.  i(^ 

patent  to  the  kino-  flraf  *         •       '',.'""•     "'«  now  therefore  r««5(m  the 

NewEngUnd  began  near  the  R^rp^frX  t     13  sS 

Tt  18  said  that  Gorges  never  took  much  interest  in  New  En^ 

wo  of:;::' "7  "  *'^  ^-^^^-tncts  in  the  Stae  of  ^if " 
two  of  the  most  important  of  which  he  could  almost  re^arT  J 
his  own  personal  property.  I„  his  interesting  '  B  "ef  Namtio" 
of  the  Advancement  of  Plantations  in  Ame.-t;,  "  T,!  .^"*''**° 
-nsibl,  and  .^e.hat  .ad,y,  ,n  vie  J"„f  p™  t  ^LtatZ  -  '  ""^ 

■dleneas  from  their  master's  crib  vsTTtl,^  '  ""y"""'  bo  M  in 
n.«le  the  dteoverie,,  and  wnl^ttetM.  ,  V  ''°  ""™'-  '»'«  "»" 
Trade,  «,herr,Iumb»tCfi,u        '<"'""'■"»  «"  Wi«  the  harveet. 

.^uro,  of  .ealth,  J^tl^^:::':^^^^,'^ ^  "^  '•""''  *'  '™' 
■'  Gorges'  Narrative,  pp.  48,  49. 


109 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


The  French  possessions  in  North  America  were  called  by  the 
general  name  of  New  France.  Acadia,  or  Nova  Scotia,  waa 
under  the  military  ommand  of  Gen.  Razilla,  or  Rosillon,  as  the 
name  is  sometinics  given.  In  the  summer  of  1635  he  sent  a 
man-of-war,  under  Capt.  d'Aulney,  to  take  possession  of  the 
Penobscot  region,  and  to  drive  out  the  English.^  This  man 
seemed  anxious  to  redeem  his  character  from  the  imputation  of 
piracy,  and  to  have  it  distinctly  understood  that  he  was  acting 
as  the  agent  of  his  home  government.  He  broke  up  the  set° 
tlement,  and  drove  away  the  settlers,  giving  them  a  schedule  of 
the  property  he  had  seized.  It  would  seem  that  he  claimed  for 
France  the  whole  New  England  coast.  As  he  dismissed  the 
plundered  traders,  he  said  to  them,  — 

"  Go  and  tell  all  the  plantations  southward  to  the  fortieth  degree,  that  a 
fleet  of  eight  ships  will  be  sent  against  them,  within  a  year,  to  displace  the 
whole  of  them.  And  know  that  my  commission  is  from  the  kine  of 
France."!*  ^  * 

Razilla  established  a  garrison  here  of  eighteen  men.  The 
colonists  at  New  Plymouth  sent  a  large  ship  and  a  bark  to  drive 
out  these  invaders.  Capt.  Girling,  who  was  intrusted  with  the 
command,  was  promised  a  sum  amounting  to  about  two  thou- 
sand dollars,  if  he  shouM  succeed  in  the  enterprise.  But  he 
found  the  French  firmly  intrenched.  After  an  unavailing  bom- 
bardment, in  which  he  expended  all  his  ammunition,  he  retired 
discomfited.8 

There  is  considerable  diversity  in  the  details  of  many  of  these 
events  which  occurred  two  hundred  years  ago,  "when  there  were 

1  "  In  1626  the  Plymouth  Colonists  erected  a  trading-house  at  a  place  called  by 
them  Penobscot,  by  the  French  Pentagoit,  and  by  u3  Bagaduce  and  Castine.  In 
1635  they  were  dispossessed  by  the  French,  under  D'Aulney  de  Chamisray,  com- 
monly called  D'Aulnay  by  the  English,— a  lieutenant  under  the  Acadian  gov- 
ernor Eazilla."  —  The  Centennial  Celebration  of  Bangor,  p.  23. 

2  Hubbard's  New  Englan<i,  p.  162. 

«  "The  reason,  undoubtedly,  why  France  at  this  time  extended  her  claims  no 
farther  south  than  the  fortieth  paraUel,  was  a  fear  of  exciting  the  jealousy  and 
hostility  of  the  Spaniards.  Spain,  at  that  time,  was  the  great  military  and  naval 
power  of  Europe.  There  can  be  no  dcfebT;  that  the  limiting  of  De  Mont's  charter  ' 
to  the  fortieth  parallel  of  latitude,  seven  degrees  short  of  aU  her  previous  claims 
was  induced  by  a  dread  of  Spanish  interference."— ifemortoZ  Volume  of  Fopham't 
Celebration,  p.  78. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


108 


but  few  scholars  in  the  land,  and  when  the  narratives  were 
vague  and  hastily  written.  In  the  annals  of  New  Plymouth  we 
find  It  stated,  that  the  ship  of  about  three  hundred  tons  was 
caUed  the  « Great  Hope."  The  name  of  the  commander  is 
given  as  Golding.  Capt.  Miles  Standish,  with  twenty  men,  was 
m  command  cf  the  Plymouth  bark.  He  was  to  render  all  the 
aid  he  could  in  the  recovery  of  the  post,  and  was  intrusted  with 
seven  hundred  pounds  of  beaver-skins  to  be  delivered  to  Gold- 

ipl\?  v^'"^'"^'  *'  '''°''  ^  ^®  ^^°"^^  ^^^^  accomplished  his  tas' 
It  Uirlmg  failed  he  was  to  receive  nothing. 

Capt.  Standish  led  the  way  into  the  harbor.  He  was  one  of 
the  most  impetuous  of  brave  men.  Had  he  held  the  supreme 
command,  he  would  have  made  short  work  of  it.  But  Girlina 
without  any  summons  to  surrender,  much  to  the  indignation  o7 
fetandish,  kept  at  a  great  distance,  and  unavailingly  bombarded 
the  earthworks  of  the  French,  until  he  had  not  another  shot  to 
throw.  He  then  would  have  seized  upon  the  beaver-skins 
which  he  had  not  earned,  but  Standish  spread  his  sails,  and 
returned  to  Plymouth.  The  French  kept  the  port,  and  Plym- 
outh kept  its  beaver-skins.  1 

It  is  difficult  to  reconcile  the  somewhat  contradictory  accounts 
which  are  given  of  this  transaction.  From  some  narratives  we 
should  infer  that  Girling's  vessels  remained  irapotently  moored 
for  a  considerable  length  of  time,  before  the  French  ramparts 
At  length  a  very  polite  official  communication  was  sent  by  the 
French  officers  to  the  Plymouth  colonists,  stating  that  they 
would  claim  no  territory  west  of  Pemaquid.  For  many  yea/s 
the  Penobscot  remained  the  tacitly  admitted  boundary  between 
the  French  and  English  possessions.a 

The  following  is  the  account  which  Gov.  Bradford  gives  of 
the  attempt  of  the  New  Plymouth  colonists  to  regain  the  port 
at  Castine :  •—  °  r 

"Girling  would  take  no  advice;  would  neither  summon  the  enemy,  nor 
permit  Capt  Standish  to  do  so  ;  neither  would  he  have  patience  to  b^W  his 
»^p  where  she  might  do  execution,  but  began  to  shoot  at  a  distance  lite  a 
madman,  and  did  them  no  hurt  at  all.     The  which,  when  those  of  the  plan- 

*  Hubbard's  New  England,  p.  162. 

"  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  164. 


104 


THE  B/STOBY  OF  MAINE. 


tation  saw  tiiey  were  much  grieved,  and  went  to  him,  and  told  him  he  would 

tZ  ^:  f!l^  I  ''°*  ^*y  ^^  ''"P  ^'**"'  *°  P«««'  fo^  «^«  '"igl^t  li-^  within 
pistol-shot  of  the  house.  At  last,  when  he  saw  his  own  folly,  he  was  per- 
suaded, and  laid  her  well,  and  bestowed  a  few  shot  to  good  purpose 

*'  2"*  ^0^'  when  he  was  in  a  way  to  do  some  good,  his  powder  waa  gone. 
So  he  could  do  no  good,  but  was  fain  to  draw  off  again;  by  which  means  the 
enterprise  was  made  frustrate,  and  the  French  encouraged.  For,  all  the  whUe 
he  shot  so  unadvisedly,  they  lay  close  under  a  work  of  earth,  and  let  him 
consume  himself .  He  advised  with  Capt.  Standish  how  he  might  be  sup- 
plied with  powder,  for  he  had  not  to  carry  him  home.  So  Capt.  Standish 
told  him  he  would  go  to  the  next  plantation,  and  do  his  endeavor  to  procure 
him  some ;  and  so  he  did.  But  miderstanding  by  inteUigence  that  Girling 
intended  to  seize  on  the  baxk,  and  surprise  the  beaver,  he  sent  him  the  pow- 
der, and  brought  the  bark  and  beaver  home.  But  Girlmg  never  assaulted 
the  place  more,  but  went  his  way.     And  this  was  the  end  of  this  business. "  > 

Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  had  obtained  what  was  considered  an 
absolute  property  in  the  territory  between  Piscataqua  and  the 
Sagadahoc,  called  New  Somersetshire.  He  sent  his  nephew, 
William  Gorges,  over  as  governor  of  this  province.  He  was  an 
intelligent,  upright  man,  of  much  executive  ability. 

Saco  was  then  the  most  flourishing  settlement  in  the  province  • 
and  Gov.  Gorges  selected  it  as  his  residence.  It  is  estimated 
that  at  that  time  the  population  of  the  place  amounted  to  about 
one  hundred  and  sixty.  The  first  court  was  opened  the  28th  of 
March,  1636.  It  was  held  in  a  dwelling-house  near  the  shore 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  Six  commissioners  aided  in  the 
administration  of  justice.  This  court  continued  its  sessions  for 
about  three  years.^ 

There  were  then  five  settlements  embraced  in  the  province 
of  New  Somersetshire.  The  first  was  Agamenticus,  or,  as  some- 
times  called,  Accomenticus.  About  eight  miles  north-west  from 
the  present  harbor  of  York,  there  was  a  commanding  eminence 
thus  called  by  the  Indians.  It  was  a  noted  landmark  for  sea- 
men, as  it  was  the  first  height  caught  sight  of  in  approaching 

Bav  ^Xiv^pT'"''  ^7  Ply"°"th.  P  208.  "  The  government  of  Massachusetts 
thai,  t^^t  ^^  Plymouth  some  encouragement  that  it  would  assist  them  to  regain 
theur  trading-house;  but  when  called  upon  it  had  various  excuses  for  declMT 
Plymouth  was  in  the  wrong:  the  French  had  merely  taken  possession  of  Tl 
own  ten  tory  "  -  Centennial  Celebration  of  the  ^e«fe  J„7o7Ln7r  p  ^  *'''' 
Chalmers'  Political  Auuals,  p.  472;  Folsom's  Saco  and  Biddeford,'  p^49. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  105 

that  region  from  the  sea.  It  was  a  majestic  sweU  of  land, 
covered  with  a  dense  forest.  From  its  summit  one  commanded 
a  view  of  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Cape  Ann  to  Cape  Elizabeth.* 
Ihere  was  a  short  salt-water  river  here,  affording  at  its  mouth 
a  sale  harbor.  Gorges,  pleased  with  the  description  of  the 
place  had  obtained,  about  the  year  1624,  a  grant  of  twenty- 
four  thousand  acres  of  land  extending  on  both  sides  of  the 
nver.  Here  a  small  agricultural  colony  commenced  its  labors. 
Ihe  precise  time  of  this  settlement  is  not  known." 

At  Kittery  Point  there  was  another  rambling    settlement. 

called   he  Piscataqua  Plantation.     The  inhabitants  were  scat: 

tered  along  the  shore,  and  were  mainly  engaged  in  fishing  and 

in  the  lumber  business.  ^ 

The  third  was  called  the  Black  Point  settlement.    It  was  a 

w       fl  't""^'  T'^'*^"^  "^  ^"^  ^^^  ^^°^ili««  i^  the  present 
town  of  Scarborough.     Capt.  Thomas  Commock,  or  as  sorre- 

times  spellea  Cammock,  with  Henry  Joscelyn,  had  obtained  a 
grant  here  of  about  fifteen  hundred  acres.'  The  settlers,  too 
poor  to  purchase  lands,  were  generally  their  tenants. 
T  1  ^'  ^^f^'^^  Plantation,  so  called,  embraced  Richmand's 
Isknd,  and  a  considerable  extent  of  territory  on  the  mainland, 
traders  a"""  '"""'''^  Principally  of  fishermen,  hunters,  and 
There  were,  at  the  same  time,  on  the  Androscoggin,  on  both 

sttlement  '''"'""'"'  ''"'^^  ^^"^^  ^'  ^^^'^^' 

The  Pemaquid  Plantation  had  been  quite  flourishing  for  five 

or  SIX  years;  and  in  various  other  parts  of  the  terrftory  now 

qalled  Maine,  settlers  were  scattered.* 

an?'  ''^'''^'  of  Massachusetts,  New  Plymouth,  Connecticut, 
and  even  of  New  Hampshire,  were  in  a  more  flourishing  condil 
»  Williamson's  Maine,  vol.  1.  p.  96. 

\  ^^^'  ^^J.  ^"gJ^'i'l.  P- 16;  Belknap's  Biography,  vol  11  n  378 
!  wir''"'  '  ^^'*°'^'  P-  ^'  Hubbard's  Narrallve.  p  2S        ^" 
at  ZSr.!"  "^'^  *''  '""°"'°^  ^^*'"^^«  °^  *^«  P-^«^^«  population  of  Main, 
C  J^'n!^"*'""^'^"'"*'  ^=  ^8«'"««ticus.  160;  Saco,  Including  Black  Point  17/5- 

Possibly  the  whole  number  might  have  been  fifteen  hundred.  -  Vol  i.  p.  207. 


106 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


tion  than  the  Province  of  Maine.  Gorges  was  anxious  to  induce 
gentlemen  of  wealth  and  influence  to  emigrate  to  his  domains. 
In  July,  1637,  he  made  a  grant  of  eight  thousand  acres  of 
land  in  the  present  town  of  Bowdoinham,  to  Sir  Richard  Edge- 
combe. The  troubles  then  existing  in  England,  in  both  Church 
and  State,  caused  many  to  sefek  civil  and  religious  freedom  by 
emigrating  to  the  New  World.  It  is  estimated  that  during  ten 
years,  more  than  twenty-one  thousand  had  sought  a  retreat  on 
these  shores.  Even  Oliver  Cromwell  had  formed  the  resolve 
to  take  refuge  in  New  England  from  the  tyranny  of  king  and 
court.  The  king  became  alarmed  at  the  amount  of  emigration, 
and  issued  a  decree  that  no  one  should  leave  his  realms  without 
taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  him,  and  of  obedience  to  the 
decrees  of  the  English  Church. 

On  the  3d  of  April,  1639,  King  Charles  I.  issued  a  provin- 
cial charter  to  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges,  conferring  upon  him  still 
more  extensive  territory  in  wh^t  is  now  Maine,  with  extraordi- 
nary powers  and  privileges.  The  region  embraced  in  this  char- 
ter  commenced  with  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua  River,  and 
ran  north-easterly  along  the  Atlantic  coast  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Sagadahoc ;  it  then  ascended  through  that  river  and  the  Ken- 
nebec, in  a  north-westerly  direction,  a  distance  of  a  hundred  and 
twenty  miles,  Avhich  would  make  its  northern  boundary  near 
the  mouth  of  Dead  River;  it  then  ran  south-westerly  across  the 
country  to  near  a  point  on  Umbagog  Lake ;  there  it  met  a  line  • 
running  north  from  Salmon  Falls  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Pis- 
cataqua, a  distance  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles.  Such  were 
the  limits  of  this  province,  so  far  as  we  can  now  ascertain  from 
the  descriptions  of  the  charter.  It  also  included  the  islands  on 
the  coast  within  five  leagues  of  the  main.^ 

The  region  was  designated  the  Province  or  County  of  Maine. 
It  contained  about  one-sixth  of  the  present  area  of  the  State. 
Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  and  his  heirs  were  lord  proprietors  of  the 
province.  They  were  bound  to  take  the  oath  of  aUegiance  to 
the  crown,  and  a  few  unimportant  claims  were  reserved  by  the 
king. 

»  Holmes'  Annals,  vol.  L  p.  299. 

a  This  charter  is  given  in  fuU  in  Hazard's  Collections,  vol.  1.  p.  442. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  107 

the  cltrc?^??  1  ^1*''  ""*^  ^°T  °'  eoclesiaatical  government,  used  b, 
the  Church  of  E„g  and,  were  established;  and  to  the  proprietary  ias  riven 

There  are  two  reasons  assigned  for  the  name  of  Maine,  which 
was  given  to  this  Province.  The  queen  of  England  had  inher- 
ited  a  province  of  that  name  in  France  ;  and,  again,  there  were 
80  many  islands  in  that  region,  that  it  was  common  to  speak  of 
the  main  land,  or  the  Maine." 

Thomas  Gorges  was  deputy  governor.     He  was  a  young  man 
of  accomplished  education  and  of  great  social  and  moral  worth 
He  was  assisted  by  seven  councillors;  the  state  officers,  properly 
so  called,  consisted,  in  addition  to  the  governor,  of  a  chancellor, 
or  chief  justice;  a  marshal,  who  commanded  the  mUitia;  a  treas- 
urer; an  admiral,  who  had  charge  of  the  naval  force;  a  master 
of  ordnance,  to  whom  military  stores  were  intrusted ;  and  a 
secretary      The  latter  office  the  governor  took  upon  himself. 
He,  with  his  SIX  councillors,  constituted  a  supreme  court  of 
judicature,  and  also,  with  eight  deputies  chosen  by  the  several 
counties  formed  a  legislative  assembly.     Such,  in  brief,  was  the 
constitution  adopted  under  the  charter  of  the  Province  of  Maine  » 
The  Kennebunk  River  divided  the  Province  into  two  dis- 
tricts,  -  the  east  and  the  west.     The  first  "  general  court "  was 
opened  at  Saco  on  the  25th  of  June,  1640.    But  four  council- 
lors  were  present.     It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  one  John  Win- 
ter, a  trader,  was  indicted  for  charging  a  profit  of  more  than  five 
per  cent  upon  the  cost  of  the  goods  he  sold. 

Packs  of  wolves  were  howling  through  the  forest.  A  tax  ( f 
twelve  pence  was  assessed  upon  every  family  between  Piscala- 
qua  and  Kennebunk,  to  be  paid  in  bounties  for  each  wolf  killed 
AH  parents  in  the  western  district  were  also  ordered  to  have 
their  children  baptized  under  penalty  of  being  summoned  to 
appear  before  the  court,  and  answer  for  the  neglect.* 

*  Williamaon's  History  of  Maine,' vol.  I  p.  27a 
2  WUUamson's  History  of  Maine,  voL  i.  p  277 

Ji?irvlT^^r;7L"r^'^  '""^°^'  by -Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  281. 

wI^'Z?^*^?'\"^°"°^''*  ""  ^^''"K  *^«*'°««'-    The  town  of  WeUs  was  infested 
with  them.    Theur  hideous  u.wlings  made  night  terrible  to  the  settles     tS  SS 


108 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


I 


I 


Sir  Ferdinando  Goigea  had  looked  with  special  interest  upon 
the  pleasantly  located  little  settlement  at  Agamenticus.  On 
the  10th  of  April,  1641,  he  organized  a  territory  here,  which, 
from  the  description,  we  infer  to  have  been  six  mUes  square, 
into  a  town,  or  borough.  The  inhabitants  were  allowed  to  elect 
a  mayor  and  eight  aldermen,  and  to  manage  their  own  internal 
affairs.  About  a  year  after  this,  on  the  1st  of  March,  1642,  he 
erected  the  borough  into  a  city,  extending  the  charter  over  a 
region  embracing  twenty-one  square  miles.  This  forest  city 
was  (  n  the  north  side  of  the  river.  It  had  an  ocean  front  of 
about  three  miles,  and  extended  seven  miles  back  from  the 
river's  mouth.»    He  caUed  this  city  Gorgiana. 

The  officers  of  the  city  government  were,  a  mayor,  twelve 
aldermen,  and  twenty-four  common  councilmen.  It  is  estimated 
that  at  this  time  there  were  seventy-seven  Christian  ministers 
m  New  England  who  had  been  driven  from  home  by  persecu- 
tion; and  there  were  about  fifty  towns  or  villages.^  The  rela- 
tions with  the  Indians  were  continually  growing  more  threat- 
ening. This  was  mainly  caused  by  unprincipled  traders  and 
wretched  vagabonds,  who  were  ranging  the  coast  and  country 
in  all  directions  beyond  the  reach  of  law,  inflicting  the  most 
intolerable  outrages  upon  the  natives.  The  governors  of  the 
colonies,  and  the  many  good  Christian  men  in  the  settlements, 
were  anxious  to  do  every  thing  in  their  power  to  secure  just 
treatment  for  the  Indians ;  but  it  was  impossible  for  them  to 
restrain  the  reckless  adventurers  who  crowded  to  these  shores. 

In  addition  to  the  danger  to  which  the  colonists  were  exposed 
from  the  angry  attitude  assumed  by  the  Indians,  there  were  also 
continual  disputes  arising  in  respect  to  boundaries,  with  the 
Dutch  in  New  York,  and  the  French  in  Canada.  Influenced  by 
tie  stock  on  the  fanns  was  always  in  peril,  and  every  precaution  was  necessary  to 
^uard  against  their  attacks.  They  were  the  worst  enemies  that  the  p^onr«hIl 
toencoun  er.    Hitherto  they  had  had  free  access  to  the  coast;  and  ItwJ  impos 

t:^tL?n1nIL  /TT^"  ^'  °''«^°"°''  "^"«  newtemptations  Je^e  oZed 
to  them  m  the  flocks  of  sheep  and  cattle  which  were  rapidly  being  introduced  into 
their  terntones^  Every  settler  was  interested  in  their  extermination,  and^  this 
hat  sir?  h    n^*»'*  r'^'*'""^  should  pay  twelve  pence  for  every  wo 
ilD  killed." -^i^^oryo/  Wells  and  Kennebunk,  by  Edward  E.  Boume, 

*  Hazard's  Historical  Collections,  vol.  1.  p.  480. 

»  CoUections  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  voL  L  p.  247. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


10» 


these,  considerations,  the  colonists  of  Massachusetts,  Plymouth, 
Connecticut,  and  New  Haven,  entered  into  a  confederacy  in  the 
year  1643.*    The  Province  of  Maine  was  not  a  member  of  this 
confederacy.     It  is  said  that  this  was  in  consequence  of  the 
strong  royalist  and  Episcopal  tendencies  of  its  rulers. 
^   The  French  called  their  dominions  in  North  America,  includ- 
ing Canada,  Acadia,  and  Louisiana,  by  the  general  name  of  New- 
France.     For  its  government.  Cardinal  Richelieu  formed  an 
association  called  the  Company  of  France.a    It  was  estimated 
that  about  sixteen  thousand  souls  had  emigrated  to  these  re- 
gions.    The  intolerance  of  the  court  in  England  had  roused  the 
Commons  to  an  appeal  to  arms.    This  at  once  checked  the  tide 
of  emigration.     The  people,  who  had  been  fleeing  from  the 
tyranny  of  the  crown,  were  now  disposed  to  remain  at  home, 
and  fight  the  battles  of  freedom  on  their  own  soil.     So  many 
returned  to  England,  that  during  the  next  twenty  years  the 
New  England  colonies  lost  more  from  returning  emigrants  thau 
they  gained  by  accessions  from  the  mother  country .8 

The  people  of  these  colonies  were  generally  republicans  ia 
their  political  principles,  and  dissenters  from  the  Established 
Church  of  England  in  their  ecclesiastical  relations.  Their  sym- 
pathies were  consequently  warmly  with  the  Commons  in  its  war- 
fare  against  the  Crown.  The  Commons,  in  gratitude,  voted,  in 
the  year  1642,  that  the  merchandise  of  either  country  should  be 
exchanged  free  of  duty.* 

Jealous  of  the  power  of  the  'ung,  and  of  the  grants  or  patents- 
which  he  had  conferred  upon  his  favorites,  they  appointed  the 
Earl  of  Warwick,  governor-general,  and  high  admiral  of  all 
the  American  Plantations.  He  was  to  be  assisted  by  a  board 
of  sixteen  commissioners.  They  were  enjoined  to  watch  with 
care  that  the  colonists  were  protected  in  the  true  Protestant 
religion  and  in  the  exerfiise  of  all  their  political  rights. 

Gov.  Gorges,  a  partisan  of  the  king,  was  much  annoyed  hj 
the  attitude  which  public  affairs  were  assuming.  Ho  determined 
to  leave  the  Province  of  Maine,  and  return  to  England.    The 

»  Winthrop'8  Journal,  p.  27(5;  Hubbard's  New  England,  p.  468 
»  History  of  the  French  Dominions,  by  Thomas  Jeffreys,  p.  lOL 
«  History  of  New  England,  by  Daniel  Neal,  p.  218. 
<  Hist.  ColL  by  Eben.  Hazard,  p.  494. 


no 


TnE  EisTonr  of  majme. 


administration  of  aflFaire  was  intrusted  to  George  Cleaves,  as  his 
deputy.  Cleaves  selected  Portland  for  his  residence,  then  called 
Casco  Peninsula.* 

He  speedily  summoned  a  court  at  Casco,  that  he  might  inform 
himself  more  minutely  respecting  the  affairs  of  the  Province ; 
but  he  found  himself  at  once  in  conEict  with  the  government 
Gorges  had  established.  Richard  Vines  convened  a  council  at 
Saco.  In  the  controversy  which  arose,  Cleaves  sent  a  friend, 
Mr.  Tucker,  to  Saco,  to  propose  submitting  the  questions  in  dis- 
pute to  the  magistrates  of  the  Massachusetts  colony.  Vines 
assailed  the  envoy  with  abusive  language,  threw  him  into 
prison,  and  did  not  release  him  until  he  gave  bonds  to  appear 
at  the  next  court  at  Saco.^ 

Though  Sir  Perdinando  Gorges  had  now  reached  his  three 
score  years  and  ten,  his  zeal  for  the  crown  was  such,  that, 
in  the  civil  war  then  raging,  he  joined  the  royalist  army  of 
Prince  Rupert  during  the  siege  of  Bristol.  The  great  events 
transpiring  in  England  threw  British  aflEairs  everywhere  into 
some  degree  of  confusion.  It  would  only  bewilder  the  reader 
to  endeavor  to  explain  all  the  entanglements.  There  seems  to 
have  been  for  some  time  quite  a  conflict  between  Cleaves  at 
Portland  and  the  court  at  Saco. 

In  the  year  1647  Richard  Vines  had  returned  to  England. 
At  a  session  of  the  court  holden  by  Mr.  Cleaves,  the  Piscataqua 
plantations  were  formed  into  a  town  called  Kittery.  Its  ter- 
ritory, at  that  time,  embraced  not  only  the  present  town  of 
Kittery,  but  also  North  and  South  Berwickj  and  Elliot.  It 
would  seem,  from  the  following  curious  memorial  presented  to 
the  court  at  that  time,  that  "woman's  rights"  were  not  then 
very  highly  respected :  — 

"  The  homble  petition  of  Richard  Cutis  andJohn  Cutting,  showeth,  that 
contrary  to  an  act  of  court  which  says,  '  No  woman  shall  live  on  the  Isles  of 
Shoals,'  John  Reynolds  has  brought  his  wife  hither  with  an  intention  to  live 
here  and  abide.  He  hath  also  brought  upon  Hog  Island  a  great  stock  of 
goats  and  swine,  which,  by  destroying  much  fish,  do  great  damage  to  the 
petitioners  and  others;  and  also  spoil  the  spring  of  water  upon  that  island, 
rendering  it  unfit  for  any  manner  of  use. 

1  Hutchinson's  History,  voL  L  p.  1C3. 

«  Hubbard's  History  of  New  England,  p.  369. 


THE  UI8T0HY  OF  MAINE. 


Ill 


"  Your  petitioneni  therefore  pray,  that  the  act  of  court  may  be  nut  in 
«eoaUan  for  the  removal  of  all  women  from  inhabiting  there  r^dL"LS 

Ihe  court  ordered  the  removal  of  the  swine,  but  decided,  as 
to  the  complaint  against  the  wife,  « It  is  thought  fit  by  the 
ourt,  that,  If  no  further  complaint  come  against\er,  aheCay 
enjoy  the  company  of  her  husband." » 

Ferdinando  Gorges  died  two  years  before  the  execution  c  ^ 
h^s  royal  master,  Charles  I.  In  the  year  1635  Razilla,  governor 
of  Acadia  died.  Two  of  his  subordinate  officei^  struLled  to 
succeed  him  in  the  command.     One  of  these,  Charlffde    a 

The  other,  D'Aulney  de  Charnisy,  took  his  residence  about  a 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  west,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Penob^ 
scot,  at  the  point  now  called  Castine. 

The  valleys  of  these  two  rivers  were  inhabited  by  two  quite 
powerful  Indian  tribes.  The  king  of  France,  invol/ed  in  a'war 
with  Spam,  paid  but  little  attention  to  the  quarrels  of  two  offi- 
cers  m  the  wilderness  of  the  New  World,  separated  from  France 
by  an  ocean  three  thousand  miles  in  width.  The  strife  between 
the  officers  was  imbittered  from  the  fact  that  D'Aulney  was  a 
Catholic,  and  was  sustained  by  the  powerful  influence  of  the 

iT  ';  .    1    r."""'  ^  P^otest^nt,  and  looked  for  countenance 
and  aid  to  the  Puritans  of  New  England. 

He  sent  from  his  settlement  on  the  St.  John,  an  agent 
M.  Rochet,  to  propose  free  trade  between  the  colonies,  and  the 
co-operation  of  Massachusetts  in  the  endeavor  to  di-ive  D'Aulnev 
from  the  Penobscot.  The  result  was,  that  free  trade  was  intro^ 
duced,  but  the  military  alliance  was  postponed  » 

The  Jesuit  influence  was  such  that  the  Protestant,  La  Tour 
had  no  chance  of  obtaining  support  of  the  throne  of  France  in 
hisconflict  with  his  Catholic  competitor.  The  Jesuits  succeeded 
ere  long  in  obtaining  a  royal  edict,  which  denounced  La  Tour 

1  Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  vol.  vii  p.  280 

p.  if  *^''  ^"^""^  "^"^"^  ^"^  ^  P-  1««5  JounuU  of  John  Wlnthrop. 


m 


112 


THE  n  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


as  an  outlaw  and  a  rebel.  Thus  encouraged,  D'Aulney  fitted 
out  an  expedition  against  his  opponent,  of  four  vessels,  with  five 
hundred  men.  He  blockaded  the  hatbor  of  La'  Tour,  cut  oflf  all 
his  communications,  and  reduced  the  garrison  to  the  greatest 
distress. 

In  the  night  of  the  12th  of  June,  La  Tour  and  his  wife 
escaped  from  the  blockaded  port,  and  proceeded  in  a  vossel  to 
Boston.  He  was  a  man  of  persuasive  address,  and  he  exerted 
all  his  powers  to  induce  the  government  of  the  colony  to  aid 
him  with  a  military  force.  There  was  quite  a  division  of  senti- 
ment in  the  colony,  upon  this  subject.  Some  were  warmly  in 
favor  of  espousing  his  cause ;  for  he  showed  them  his  commission 
from  the  French  cabinet,  appointing  him  the  king's  lieutenant- 
general  in  Acadia.  La  Tour's  friends  in  the  Massachusetts 
Colony  urged  that  he  was  the  legitimate  ruler,  and  that  their 
commercial  interests,  and  their  religious  principles,  alike  de- 
manded that  they  should  support  his  claims. 

But  the  opponents  urged,  that  they  could  not  be  certain  as  to 
the  exact  justice  of  the  case  ;  that  the  French  cabinet  had  man- 
ifestly vacillated  ;  that  it  was  to  be  feared  that  La  Tour's  Prot- 
estantism was  mainly  the  absence  of  all  religion ;  and  that  it 
was  not  for  the  honor  of  Massachusetts  to  engage  in  war,  as  the 
followers  of  a  French  adventurer.* 

All  the  settlements  in  the  Province  of  Maine  were  much  agi- 
tated by  this  question.  The  deputy  governor  wrote,  from  hia 
residence  at  Kittery  Point,  to  Gov.  Winthrop  of  Massachusetts, 
under  date  of  June  28,  1643.     In  this  letter  he  says,  — 

'«  Right  worthy  Sib,  —I  understand  by  Mr  Parker,  you  have  written 
mo  by  Mr.  Shurt,  which,  as  yet,  I  Lave  pot  received.  It  cannot  be  un- 
known to  you  what  fears  we  are  in,  since  La  Tour's  promise  of  aid  from  you. 
For  my  part,  I  thought  fit  to  certify  so  much  unto  you;  for  I  suppose  that 
not  only  these  parts  which  are  naked,  but  all  north-east,  will  find  D'Aulney 
a  scourge.  He  hath  long  waited,  with  the  expense  of  near  eight  hundred 
pounds  per  month,  for  an  opportunity  of  taking  supplies  from  his  foe;  and, 
should  all  his  hopes  be  frustrated  through  your  aid,  you  may  conceive  where 
he  will  seek  for  satisfaction. 

"  If  a  thorough  work  could  be  made,  and  he  be  utterly  extirpated,  I 
should  like  it  well:  otherwise,  it  cannot  be  thought  but  that  a  soldier  and  a 

•  See  these  arguments  In  full,  Haz.  Coll.,  vol.  L  p.  802-616. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  jjg 

fi:entlem«n  will  seek  to  revenge  him-elf  having  fiv    1       ,     , 
»  galley,  and  pinnaces  well  pk,vided      But  "n^  ".'"^'"'^  '"''"'  *^<>  "hip,,, 

manner  ho  now  besieges  La  Tolr  ili<  -^  ^  r  ""^  ^'^""«  """''^^^^  "»  ^haJ 
t'-  inland,  at  the  entrance  of  St  John  s  R  '  ""  "::^  ''°"*'^-^«''*  P-^^'  <>' 
entrance  for  ships.  On  the  northtj^jt  1^'^'  "''^"'  "'"^'*  "  °^y  *» 
ceived  but  ho  will  fortify  the  island   wh\     •?'"."*"''•     ^'  °'^""°t  be  con- 

of  your  ships,  and  forco'^thembti'Lt;'  '^''^'^^  "'^  «"*'•*"<'«  <>'  anj 
to  hurt  him.  '"^'''  '''°^»»«  the  will,  not  having  tho  power 

thither.  ''^^^  *'  ">is  time,  or  to  desire  your  command^ 

"  ^'"^  ^  '^"'^^  ^  '^»*  y<"«  honoring  friend  and  servant, 

"Thomas  Goroks."* 

the  conflict,  he  might  purchase  Y/.I,  "'''»."'"«="ve  part  in 
»any  volunteers  as'he  pC  d  It  :  ^aiT  S^'^^'  '"■■  l»"»'  - 
at  las  own  expense.  He  at  „n„„  M  !  ]'  i'°*«''«''.  '<>  be  done 
months,  at  the  price  for  tt  f  7'"''"' ^'"'"««*  '»' two 
dolIa«;  Oneira-'ed  a.^d  fttvt  '"»  """■»»<' six  hundred 
were  placed  o„  board    with  tt        T"' "'"'"^' »"<•  ''-""'n 

The  litUe  fleet  was  wdlfe^sherwr''  "'""^  "'  °^''°»°°- 
tion.  lurnished  with  provisions  and  ammuni- 

^oii:tzx::^:Lz7:^:  r""'^]'  ^^  f--^  «*  st. 

and  pei^onal  estate  irAcadTarV'T''  "'■">  ^^  <>"  «^ 
-ailed  on  the  14th  of  July  1643  ^'r.  l^f""'  ">"'  ^l-iPPed, 

five  vessels  in  his  fleet,  the  "cttent 'S  ."IT  "''"  ^'  ''«<• 
Massachusetts  Bay,  Ind  the  our^vesXt  h  d  1  '"'"^'' 
namely,  "  The  Seabridge,"  "  The  Pbnr  %,."'*  chartered, 
crease,  "  and  "The  GrVhound."  ^      ^  *""  **'"'^'"  '"'''^  I"" 

It  will  be  perceived  that  this  trouble  tnnt  „.        •      . 
year  or  two  before  some  of  th.  .        ,     P'""'  '"  Acadia  a 

already  described!  '  '""'*  '"  ^f''"'^'  ^'hieh  we  hava       ■ 

»  Hazard'BHlst.  ColL,  vol.  i  n  488.        j  w  vv    . 

TOl.  I.p.  488.         «  Hubbard's  History,  vol.  t  p.  uo. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COLONIAL  JEALOUSIES  AND  ALIENATIONS. 

Conflict  between  La  Tour  and  i.'Aulney_It.  Str,v,<e  Result  -  Attack  of 
Wannerton- Madame  La  Tour-D'Aulney  attacks  the  Fort  at  St.  John- 
Heroic  Defence  of  Madame  La  Tour -Her  Capture  and  Death  -  Treason  of 
J*'",T^"'''  ^O'J'^y-Pu'-cliaae.of  Indian  Chiefs -Boundary  Disputes 
-Final  Sett  ement- Submission  of  Godfrey -Ecclesiastical  Condition  of 
Maine -Sullivan's  Testimony  -  Dutch  Settlers  -  Savage  Insolence. 

TT  would  seem  that  La  Tour  made  a  sudden  and  furious 
-L  attack  upon  the  vessels  of  D'Aulney,  and  drove  them  from 
their  station,  and  chased  them  into  the  Penobscot.^  Here 
D'Aulney  ran  two  ( f  his  vessels  aground,  and  quite  a  brisk 
action  took  place,  in  which  several  Frenchmen  were  either 
killed  or  wounded  on  each  side ;  but  not  a  man  from  the  Massa- 
chusetts Colony  was  hurt.  The  chartered  vessels  returned  to 
Boston  within  the  allotted  time.  La  Tour  brought  with  him  a 
ship  of  D'Aulney's,  which  he  had  captured,  freighted  with  val- 
uable furs.2 

D'Aulney  was  very  indignant  in  view  of  the  aid  the  Massa- 
chusetts Colony  had  rendered  La  Tour.  He  w/ote  a  very  angry 
letter,  to  which  the  governor  replied,  — 

"  Had  we  been  molested  in  h  ^  r;,i,^ht  of  free  trade,  as  you  thi«atened  us, 
we  should  not  have  been  backwar  i  h^ .  o  ourselvef  ju;  lice.  But  the  colony 
government  of  Massachuaetf^  rivs,  v..  i,,^6,  taken  no  measures,  nor  granted 
any  commission,  against  you.  To  admit  La  Tour  to  enlist  and  hire  forces 
with  his  own  money,  violates  no  sound  poUtical  rules.  It  is  a  mere  attri- 
bute of  our  independence,  while  the  laws  of  Christian  duty  require  ua  to 
reheve  all  distress.  Yet  surely  nothing  would  be  more  grateful  to  our  wishes 
than  reconciliation  and  peace."  " 

1  So  say  both  SnlUvan  and  Hutchinson.    Wlnthrop  says  they  were  driven  to 

2  Hubbard's  New  England,  p.  483. 

8  WiUiamaon,  vol.  1.  p.  314.    See  al;.(.  Hubbard's  New  England  p  483 
114 


THE  niHTORY  OF  MAINE. 


115 


D'Aulney  ai)plied  to  the  court  of  Franco  for  aid,  to  take 
revenge  upon  Massachusetts.  He  represented  that  the  French 
colonies  in  Acadia  were  in  danger  of  destruction,  from  an 
e.Kpedition  which  Massachusetts  was  fitting  up  against  them  • 
he  also  resolved  to  put  a  stop  to  all  intercourse  whatever  be- 
tween Massachusetts  and  La  "^our.  Situated  as  he  was,  between 
them  on  the  Penobscot,  he  could,  with  his  ships,  ennily  inter- 
cept any  vessels  passing  along  the  coast. 

Three  gentlemen  of  distinction  from  the  English  colonies 
embarked  for  La  Tour's  port  on  the  St.  John  River,  to  settle 
some  pecuniary  claims.  These  were  Vines  of  Saco,  Shurt  of 
Pemaquid,  and  Wannerton  (or  Wanerton  as  Winslow  ^peUa  the 
name)  from  New  Hampshire.  When  they  reached  tl.e  Penob- 
scot, D'Aulney  caused  their  arrest  and  imprisonment.  It  was 
with  much  difficulty,  that,  after  several  days  of  confinement, 
they  obtained  their  release.  Neither  of  these  gentlemen  had 
any  connection  with  the  Massachusetts  Colony.  They  were 
detained  simply  as  Englishmen. 

Wannerton  was  an  impetuous  man,  who  was  thrown  into  a 
fever  of  passion  by  the  outrage.  The  envoys  continued  their 
voyage  to  the  St.  John.  There  they  learned  that  D  Aulney's 
garrison  at  Castine,  or  Biguyduce  as  the  place  was  then  called 
was  very  feeble.  Wannerton  engaged  a  party  of  twenty  men 
to  accompany  him  to  the  Penobscot,  and  take  vengeance  upon 
DAulney.  They  were  all  thoroughly  armed.  D'Aulney  had 
a  well-stocked  farm  about  five  miles  from  his  fort.  The  aven- 
gers  lauded  in  their  boat,  and  marched  to  the  buildings,  which 
were  not  far  distant  from  the  shore.  It  was  a  time  of  piracy  and 
robbery  of  every  kind. 

It  would  seen  that  the  laborers  saw  the  approach  of  the 
armed  band,  and  rushed  into  the  house  for  defence.  Wanner- 
ton led  his  party,  and  knocked  at  the  door.  It  was  opened,  and 
immediately  a  volley  of  bullets  was  discharged  from  within 
upon  the  assailants.  Wannerton  fell  mortally  wounded- 
another  of  his  party  was  struck  by  a  bullet,  and  one  was  shot 
dead.  The  men  in  the  house,  having  offered  this  resistance, 
threw  down  their  arms,  and  surrendered. 
The  torch  was  applied.    The  house  and  all  the  outbuildings 


U6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


With  the  furniture,  the  tools,  aud  the  farming  stores  were  laid 
in  ashes.  All  the  animals  were  killed.  Nothing  was  left 
behmd  but  smouldering  ruins  and  utter  desolation.  Tl. , 
destruction  was  entire.  The  proud  avengers  scorned  to  take 
any  booty.^ 

D'Aulney's  rage  passed  all  bounds;  though  Wannertcn  acted 
solely  upon  his  own  responsibility,  taking  individual  venceance 
forthe  affront  he  had  received,  D'Aulney  breathed  threatenings 
and  slaughter  against  all  the  English.  He  proclaimed  loudly, 
that  he  would  make  prize  of  every  English  colonial  vessel  he 
could  find  east  of  the  Penobscot  River;  and  he  issued  comr-is- 
sionsto  that  purport.  The  governor  at  Boston  addressed  to 
him  a  letter  of  remonstrance.  After  reminding  the  enraged 
J^renchman  of  many  acts  of  aggression  of  which  he  had  been 
guilty,  he  added,  — 

„lir  ^f  ^'"^^'""  ^°"  *''**  "**  ^°'*"^  *°*  *«*^"«*  "*her  French  or  Dutch  ia 
allowed     La  Tour  cannot  expect  anymore  succors  from  this  place.     A  mer- 

btTrltectet- '""^*'''  '^'"^"^  "^  ^"'^  «*•  •^°^'  -^d  res/assured  it  wiU 

I'hat  which  is  done  in  a  passion  is  seldom  well  done.  D'Aul- 
ney soon  became  convinced  that  he  had  committed  a  blunder 
1  he  French  Government  was  not  disposed  to  enter  into  a  war 
with  England,  upon  the  issue  which  their  irate  officer,  in  the 
wi  ds  of  Nova  Scotia,  had  raised.  D'Aulney  was  mUdly  xe- 
buked  by  the  French  cabinet,  and  was  ordered  to  maintain 
tnendly  relations  with  all  the  English.^ 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  French  Government  gave  Its  sup- 
port to  the  Catholic  D'Aulney,  in  opposition  to  the  Protestant 
J.a  lour.  Ihe  latter  and  his  wife  were  denounced  as  traitors. 
End  orders  were  given  for  their  arrest.  Madame  La  Tour  was 
^parently  a  woman  of  sincere  piety,  and  conscientiously  a 
l^rotestant.  She  was  then  in  Boston,  having  recently  arrived 
there  on  her  way  from  France  to  St.  John. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  1644,  D'Aulney  sent  an  envoy,  M. 
Mane,  with  an  imposing  retinue  of  ten  attendants,  to  negotiate 

•  Hutcbinson'a  History  of  Massachusetts,  p.  125 

«  WiUIamson,  vol.  1.  p.  315.         a  Winthrops  Journal,  p.  356. 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  UAWE.  ]jf 

a  treaty  with  the  goyemnjent  of  Massachnsetts.     Gov    Win 
hrop  endeavored  to  bring  about  a  reconciliation  between  th; 
two  antagonistic  French  parties,  and  to  secure  a  sirret^n 
«  "^  "^  ^""'  '"  •>"  '>-'"""^-    But  M.  Mari/Jngru; 

no;;in  rs  h~pt"  tit  ^r°"^;;  -^ "  ^° '» '^»^ 

»u»  Of  hi,  conle-npt  ail^rTC     Inyt^,  "Mch-.h^Z  *°,  "f  «" 
a  passenger  wiU  be  liable  to  arrest."  '^"  ""^  " 

Under  these  circumstances  the  governor  decided  t»  stand 

were  with  La  Tour.    A  commercial  treaty  was  siened  and  both 
parties  agreed  to  abstain  from  all  hostile  its.i  * 

The  inhabitants  of  Maine  greatly  rejoiced  over  this  result 

r?ckClli  nat'^'n^^'r-  "'"'  "^'»  '"  -"ch^h       h ' 
reckless,  passionate  D'AuIney  would  seize  their  vessels    and 

'  iXhich  r"  ^flTT-  ^=""-  ^^y'^y-  ">«  -""of  he 

oTelve  herT^f  Madame  La  Tour  from  France,  had  engaged 

at  bZu      Sh.        u         '""'"^  "^  ""^'  ^'  had  landed  her 
at  Boston.    She  could  now  return  to  St.  John  only  by  equin- 

ping  a  force  which  would  enable  her  to  cope  with  fhe  enlv 
She  prosecuted  for  damages.  The  court  after  a  fourTvs'' 
t  lal,  granted  her  a  verdict  for  ten  thousand  dollai-s.  Wi  h  th  s 
irhome  '"■='  """  '"""""  ^■''P^'  "■»•  P-ceeded!ifei;  to 
ne.^M  "/""^  7Z  eMeedingly  chagrined.     He    had  fully  ex- 

s^crn;  wLtnrr- /r"^^"fT'  *»  '^'-- 

He  obtained  information  that  La  Tour  was  absent  on  a  cr^  se' 

"son  atTttlfr^'  ** '  *-^  -«-  but  fifty  men  left  in  g" 
m™,  and  that  they  had  but  a  small  supply  of  food  and  amma-  ' 

Early  in  the  spring,  when  winter  breezes  stUl  linffered  anH 

St.  John.    He  sailed,  with  his  well^quipped  war-vessel! 

Journal  of  JoLh  Wintiu'op,  p.  357, 


I 


I 


118 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


from  the  Penobscot.  Soon  he  overtook  a  New  England  vessel 
which  was  bound  to  the  St.  John  with  supplies.  Regardless 
of  the  commercial  treaty,  he  seized  the  vessel,  landed  the  crew 
in  an  open  boat  upon  a  desolate  island,  and  in  his  cruel  rage 
abandoned  them,  without  even  leaving  them  the  means  of  kind- 
ling a  fire.  Very  thinly  clad,  they  succeeded  in  constructing  a 
miserable  wigwam,  where  they  suffered  severely  from  cold  and 
hunger.  Here  they  remained  ten  days,  until  they  were  taken 
off,  and  sent  home  in  an  old  shallop. 

D'Aulney  entered  the  harbor  at  St.  John,  moored  his  ship 
opposite  the  fort,  and  opened  a  vigorous  fire.  But  Madame  La 
Tour  was  already  there.  She  was  a  true  heroine.  Her  intre- 
pidity was  sufficient  to  quadruple  the  strength  of  the  feeble 
garrison.  She  caused  the  fire  to  be  returned,  and  with  so  much 
skill,  that,  in  a  short  time,  the  deck  of  D'Aulney's  vessel  ran 
red  with  blood,  and  was  strewed  with  the  mangled  bodies  of 
the  dead  and  dying.  Twenty  were  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 
Every  shot  from  the  fort  struck  the  ship.  Her  hull  was  shat- 
tered. The  water  was  rushing  in  at  the  shot-holes ;  and  still 
the  deadly  fire  was  kept  up  without  intermission,  while  the  gar- 
rison behind  strong  ramparts  remained  unharmed. 

D'Aulney  was  effectually  repulsed.  To  save  his  ship  from 
sinking,  he  hastily  warped  her  under  shelter  of  a  bluff,  beyond 
the  reach  of  cannon-shot.  Having  repaired  his  damages,  buried 
his  dead,  and  dressed  the  terrible  wounds  inflicted  by  cannon- 
shot,  he  spread  his  sails,  and,  greatly  crestfallen,  returned  to 
Castine. 

Massachusetts  was  justly  incensed  at  the  gix>ss  violation  of 
the  treaty  in  seizing  a  New  England  vessel.  An  envoy  was 
promptly  sent  to  D'Aulney  demanding  explanation  and  satisfac- 
tion. There  was  an  angry  and  unsatisfactory  interview.  The 
enraged  Frenchman,  losing  all  self-control  in  his  reckless 
charges,  said,  — 

*'  You  have  helped  my  mortal  enemy  ia  aiding  La  Tour's  wife  to  return 
to  St.  John.    You  have  burned  my  buildings;  you  have  killed  my  animals 
I  warn  you  to  beware  of  the  avenging  hand  of  my  sovereign." 

The  envoy  with  dignity  replied,  — 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


119 


"  Your  sovereign  is  a  mighty  prince ;  he  is  also  a  prince  of  too  much 
honor  to  commence  an  unjustifiable  attack;  but,  should  he  assail  ns,  we  trust 
m  (jod,  who  is  the  infinite  Arbiter  of  j-istice." 

The  only  result  of  the  conference  was  the  establishment  of  a 
sort  of  truce  until  the  next  spring.  It  was  evidently  impossible 
to  mamtain  peace  and  free  trade  with  both  of  these  French 
generals,  who  were  so  bitterly  hostile  to  each  other.  A  little 
more  than  a  year  passed  away,  with  occasional  diplomatic  cor- 
respondence. In  September,  1646,  three  commissioners  arrived 
in  Boston  from  D'Aulney,  and  demanded  four  thousand  dollars 
damages  for  losses  which  he  professed  to  have  received  from  the 
English.  The  governor  and  his  magistrates,  on  the  other  hand, 
deemed  a  larger  sum  due  to  them. 

While  this  diplomacy  was  in  progress,  the  shrewd  and  implaca- 
ble Frenchman  was  gathering  his  forces  for  another  attack  upon 
St.  John.  It  is  said,  that,  through  the  treachery  of  the  Cath- 
olic priests,  he  kept  himself  carefully  informed  of  the  precise 
condition  of  affairs  there.  Taking  advantage  of  La  Tour's 
absence  on  a  cruise  to  obtain  supplies,  he  suddenly  entered  the 
harbor  with  a  strong  naval  force,  and  assailed  the  fort  by  a  can- 
nonade from  his  ships,  and  by  storming  it,  at  the  same  t?me,  on 
the  land  side.  The  walls  were  scaled,  and  with  the  loss  of 
twelve  men  killed  and  many  wounded,  on  the  part  of  the  assail- 
ants, the  fort  was  taken. 

All  the  inmates  were  mercilessly  put  to  the  sword,  with  the 
exception  of  La  Tour's  wife,  who  was  taken  captive.  The 
plunder  which  the  victor  seized,  consisting  of  materials  of  war, 
plate,  jewels,  and  household  goods,  exceeded  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars ill  value.  This  ruin  of  La  Tour  caused  great  loss  to  many 
New  England  merchants  to  whom  he  was  indebted. 

The  fate  of  the  virtuous  and  heroic  Madame  La  Tour  was 
very  sad.  She  was  a  beautiful  and  accomplished  lady,  of  un- 
blemished piety.  Catholic  persecution  had  driven  her  from 
her  native  land,  and  from  the  many  friends  who  surrounded  he'- 
there.  Her  new  home  in  Acadia  was  now  in  ruins.  All  her 
estate  had  vanished.  Her  husband  was  outlawed  and  a  wan- 
derer, without  the  slightest  prospect  of  ever  again  regaining  hi^ 
fortunes  ;  and  she  was  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  a  proud  an. I 


120 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


11 -3 


implacable  enemy.  Her  heart  was  crushed.  Day  after  day  she 
drew  visibly  nearer  the  grave.  In  three  weeks  her  spirit  took 
Its  flight,  and  entered,  we  trust,  that  world  where  the  weary 
are  at  rest.  "^ 

We  regret  to  add  that  La  Tour  subsequently  proved  himself 
to  be  a  man  utterly  devoid  of  principle.  He  went  to  Boston. 
Ihe  tale  of  his  impoverishment  and  his  woes  excited  the  sym- 
pathies of  the  kind-hearted  Bostonians.  Several  of  the  mer- 
chants furnished  him  with  a  vessel,  and  with  goods  to  the  value 
ot  about  two  thousand  dollars,  to  enable  him  to  trade  with  the 
natives  along  the  coast.  They  manned  the  vessel  with  a  crew 
of  Englishmen  and  Frenchmen.  It  was  a  generous  deed  of 
chanty. 

In  midwinter  of  1647,  La  Tour  sailed  from  Boston.  When 
he  arrived  off  Cape  Sable,  in  Nova  Scotia,  the  ingrate  conspired 
with  his  ovvn  countrymen,  and,  seizing  the  vessel  and  cargo, 
drove  the  English  ashore.  In  the  conflict  La  Tour,  with  his 
own  pistol,  shot  one  of  the  Englishmen  in  the  face.  These 
unhappy  men,  thus  turned  adrift  upon  the  rocky  and  ice-bound 
coast,  would  inevitably  have  perished  but  for  the  humanity  of 
those  whom  we  call  savages. 

After  fifteen  days  of  awful  suffering  they  chanced  to  meet  a 
small  band  of  Mickmac  Indians.  These  barbarians  treated  them 
with  all  the  kindness  which  Christianity  enjoins.  They  took 
the  shivering,  starving  creatures  to  their  wigwams,  warmed 
their  half-frozen  limbs,  and  fed  them  with  delicious  cuts  of  ven- 
ison. The  Indians,  having  thus  taken  in  the  strangers,  and 
given  food  to  the  hungry,  and  drink  to  the  thirsty,  and  clothin- 
to  the  naked,  furnished  them  with  a  pilot  to  guide  them  alon? 
the  sinuous  coast  to  their  distant  home.  This  was  in  May" 
1646.^  -^ ' 

La  Tour,  with  his  stolen  vessel,  disappeared.     No  one  knew 
where  he  went.     For  two  years  he  was  not  heard  from.     The 

rJ«'ih5o7  'r^  "?/'  ^y  f  f '^^  providence,  tonvl  more  favor  at  tlie  hands  of 
Cape  Sable  Indians  tlian  of  those  French  Christians,  tliey  miglit  all  have  perished  • 

.^nZ"'  """."''  "'f "  '"^'■''  "P  "°^  ^°^^">  *^«y>  ^*  the  last,  fouml  some  h  : 
bans  who  gave  them  a  shallop  with  victuals,  and  an  Indian  pilot  by  which  means 
^heycame  safe  to  Boston  about  three  months  after."  -//lard/i^e^  i™ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  *MAINE.  12I 

fortress  of  D'Aulney  on  the  Penobscot,  was,  at  that  time,  the 
most  prominent  resort  of  the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  from 
J;  ranee.  D  Aulney  was  zealous  in  that  cause,  and  for  some 
time  was  the  undisputed  ruler  of  Acadia.  After  three  years 
he  died  In  one  year  after  his  death.  La  Tour  returned,  and 
rnarried  his  widow,  and  entered  upon  the  possession  of  his  rich 
.nhentance;  a  striking  illustration  of  the  truth  of  the  oft-quoted 

fiction  '""'^"''^  °^  ^^""^  ''  ""^'^  '^"'^"^^  ^^'^^  *^*<^  «f 

and 'vTr.' ™  ."^'^ ''T'"''^  "^  ""  ^^  former  possessions, 
and  yet  he  made  no  effort  to  pay  his  former  creditors.  He 
seemed  to  surrender  himself  to  a  life  of  conviviality.  He  sel- 
dora  left  his  province.  Several  children  were  born  to  him.  The 
French  were  at  this  time  in  occupancy  of  settlements  at  Pen- 
obscot,  Mount  Desert,  Machias,^  and  St.  Croix;  but  none  of 
these  settlements  were  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Province  of  Maine  was 
divided  into  four  political  sections.  Gorges'  region  extended 
from  the  southern  border  to  the  Kennebunk;  thtn  on  the  east 
came  Ligonia;  beyond  that  was  the  Sagadahoc  territory;  on 
the  extreme  east  oame  the  region  between  the  Penobscot,  and 
Passamaquoddy  Bay,  which  was  called  Penobscot.  CivU  war 
was  ragmg  in  England.     All  political  matters  were  in  a  state 

Under  these  circumstances  a  general  court  was  convened  at 
Wells  in  October,  1648.  Edward  Godfrey  was  re-elected  gov- 
ernor, and  four  councillors  were  appointed.     The  government, 

dt. f°'^^''- 'fv.'        T''^  '"  '^''''''  P'^^^*^^"  '^  England  fo^ 
directions  m  their  political  affairs.     A  year  elapsed  before  any 

answer  came      The  only  tidings  they  received  were,  that  Sir 

l^erdinando  Gorges  was  dead,  and  that  no  instructions  could  be 

ifenwrial  of  Popham  Celebration,  p.  74."  '  ®*-  S"^"'"-'    - 


122 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


I 


'i 


expected  from  the  parent  country  while  distracted  with  the 
tumult  of  civil  war.i 

Gov.  Godfrey  was  a  very  peculiar  man ;  bombastic,  vain,  and 
arrogant.  He  usually  prefaced  his  proclamations  or  addresses 
with  these  words :  "  To  all  Christian  people  to  whom  these 
presents  shall  come,  greeting  in  our  Lord  God  everlasting." 

"  Still,"  writes  Mr.  Bourne,  •«  Gov.  Godfrey  is  worthy  of  commendation 
for  the  persevering  and  indomitable  spirit  which  he  manifested  in  what  he 
considered  to  be  right,  and  for  his  courage  in  seating  himself  dowi  in  York, 
an  entire  wilderness,  with  none  to  whom  he  could  look,  in  his  aditude,  for 
any  help  which  the  emergencies  of  his  condition  might  require.  He  located 
himself  there  in  1630,  building  the  first  house  in  that  place.  He  was  the 
founder  of  York.  What  his  motive  was  in  making  such  a  selecti)n  for  a 
habitation^  does  not  appear.  Possibly  the  fishing  business  might  have 
tempted  him  to  the  adventure.  No  location  could  have  been  better  for  that 
purpose.  His  house  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  But  thus  away 
from  the  intercourse  and  business  haunts  of  men,  he  would  be  but  little 
likely  to  grow  in  the  virtues  of  socia^  life,  or  in  the  necessary  qualifloationa 
for  gubernatorial  authority."  " 

For  three  years  the  affairs  of  the  Province  were  administered 
by  the  provincial  government  as  above  organized.  One  tribunal 
was  legislative,  judicial,  and  executive.  Pemaquid,  which  had 
been  settled  a  quarter  of  a  century,  was  the  principal  plantation 
of  the  Sagadahoc  territory.  It  was  the  great  resort  of  fishing 
and  trading  vessels  as  they  ran  up  and  down  the  coast.  Indi- 
viduals were  very  busy  in  purchasing  large  tracts  of  land  from 
Indian  chiefs.  They  were  not  particular  in  their  inquiries  as  to 
the  right  of  the  chiefs  to  sell  these  extensive  tracts. 

John  Brown,  in  1625,  purchased  of  two  chiefs,  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Pemaquid,  a  region  extending  along  its  southern  bor- 
der from  Pemaquid  Falls  to  Brown's  house,  and  i  inning  back 
into  the  country  twenty-five  miles.     It  embraced  nearly  the 

1  "The  nature  of  Gorges  was  generous,  and  his  piety  sincere.  He  sought 
pleasure  in  doing  good;  fame,  by  advancing  Christianity  among  the  heathen;  a 
durable  monument,  by  erecting  houses,  villages,  and  towns.  When  the  wars  in 
England  broke  out,  the  septuagenarian  royalist  buckled  on  his  armor,  and  gave 
the  last  strength  of  his  gray  hairs  to  the  defence  of  the  unfortunate  Charles."  — 
Bancroft,  vol.  i.  p.  429. 

2  History  of  "Wells  and  Kennebunk,  by  Edward  E.  Bourne,  p.  21. 


THE  mSTORY  OF  MAISE. 


12a 


whole  of  the  present  towns  of  Bristol,  Nobleborough,  Jefferson 
and  a  part  of  New  Castle. 

About  the  year  1662,  three  other  chiefs  sold  Walter  Phillip* 
a  large  portion  of  the  same  lands,  and  all  the  land  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Kennebec,  from  Winnegance  Creek  to  the  sea,  and 
west  to  Casco  Bay.  Christopher  Lawson  purchased  of  a  chief 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  territory  now  covered  by  the  town  of 
Woolwich.  Thomas  Clark  and  Roger  Spencer  bought  of  a 
chief  the  whole  of  Arrowsic  Island ;  John  Richards  bought 
ot  a  chief  the  whole  of  Jeremisquam  Island.  Such  sales  were 
continually  made.* 

We  know  not  what  right  the  chiefs  had  to  sell  these  extended 
territories,  or  what  price  was  paid  for  them,  or  the  circum- 
stances under  which  the  chiefs  were  induced  to  sell.  During  a 
period  of  sixteen  years  all  the  lands  on  both  sides  of  the  Ken- 
nebec, and  all  the  islands  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mouth  of  that 
river,  were  bought  of  Indian  chiefs.  Such  purchases  were 
obviously  liable  to  great  abuses.  Both  the  Massachusetts  and 
I'lymouth  Colonies  had  very  judiciously  prohibited  such  traffic 
without  the  license  of  the  legislature.  There  were  no  such 
restrictions  in  Maine. 

In  these  pretended  sales  by  the  chiefs,  the  same  lands  were 
often  embraced  in  different  deeds.  The  boundary-lines  inter- 
sected each  other.  The  same  lands  were  sold  by  different 
chiefs.  Inextricable  confusion  ensued.  There  were  conten- 
tions and  lawsuits  innumerable.  The  state  of  things  was 
deplorable.  There  were  scarcely  any  legal  titles,  and  no  courts 
were  organized  with  powers  to  adjust  these  difficulties. 

The  Penobscoc  region,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  claimed 
both  by  the  French  and  tlie  English.     The  French  called  it  a 
part  of  Acadia ;  the  English  called  it  a  part  of  New  England 
La  Tour,  who  iucceeded  D'Aulney,  governed  this  region  with 
military  absolutism,  establishing  no  civil  tribunals. 

The  Massachusetts  Colony  brought  forward  a  new  claim  to 
aU  the  land  in  Maine,  south  of  a  point  near  Portland.  This 
was  by  virtue  of  her  charter,  which  conferred  upon  her  all  the 
territory  within  the  space  of  "  three  English  miles  northwarcj 

*  WUllamson's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  i.  p,  330. 


1S4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


?i      .""^  v^      ''°'^''''  ^"^   *^   *^«  northward  of  any  part 

thereof.      N#w,  ,t  was  found  that  the  source  of  the  Merrimack 

was  far  north  among  the  hills  of  New  Hampshire,  and  that  a 

ine  running  from  that  point  due  east  to  the  ocean  would  strike 

the  coast  not  far  from  where  Portland  now  stands.     This  led 

to  a  very  serious  dispute  between  the  two  Provinces.     Massa- 

chusetts  appointed  commissioners  to  ascertain  with  the  greatest 

accuracy  the  northernmost  head  of  the  Merrimack  River,  and  to 

nm  a  hne  thence  due  east  to  precisely  the  same  latitude  on  the 

Atlantic  coast. 

These  commissioners  testified  upon  oath  that  they  found,  on 
the  1st  of  August  1652,  the  head  of  the  Merrimack,  where  it 
TltT  10'  r'".'^  "  Winnepuseakik,"  i  in  the  latitude 
f  ,  '  ?.'  ,?  •  ^®  ^^'^^  additional  miles  extending  into  the 
lake  would  allow  three  additional  minutes  to  the  distance  2 

Against  this  claim  Gov.  Godfrey,  of  the  Province  of  Maine, 
entered  an  indignant  remonstrance.  In  his  protest  to  the  Gen- 
«ral  Court  of  Massachusetts,  he  wrote,  — 

"  An  attempt  to  hold  the  Province  of  Maine  under  your  charter,  or  bv 
any  other  legal  tit^e.  without  the  pretence  of  purchase,  prior  pos  ess  on  or 

tice.  Hitherto  you  have  declared  yourselves  satisfied  with  your  own  Z. 
froTrr  /r  '  "?  ^''""^^  "^*^  "^^  U.rnn.^,V,  thre^e  milZisS^t 

Xrl  "'"  T^'^^  ^"°^'  '°"°^^^  i*«  ^«-"d«™  to  its  mouth 

whereas  you  are  now  bursting  your  bounds,  .nd  stretching  your  claims 
across  provinces  to  which  till  lately  no  man,  however  visional^,  "0"^" 
imagined  you  had  any  right. " 

To  this  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  replied,— 

"Worshipful  Sir,  -  Our  patent  by  divine  Providence  continues  to  be 
finnly  es  abhshed  under  the  great  seal.     Though  the  grand  patent  of  P^ym! 

1  Williamson  suggests  that  tliis  was  probably  Lake  Winn<nU«n„«><.     t* 

2  Hazard's  Collections,  vol.  1.  p  571 


I 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  I2ft 

outh  has  been  dissolved,  ours,  sanctioned  by  a  roval  chnrfpr  J,.-  . 

true  limits  And,  had  you  attentively  examined  its  articles,  vou  must  ba 
satisfied  with  the  correctness  of  our  construction.  For  veriryers  t^e 
extent  of  our  jurisdictional  rights  was  not  fully  understood  aTd  so  Ion.  a! 
doubts  remamed  we  Mere  disposed  to  forbear,  though  we  hLve  never  abar 
doned  the  pursuit  of  our  utmost  claim  and  right 

"In  your  resistance,  probably  a  majority  of  the  provmcial  inhabitants  am 
your  opponents;  for  they  are  greatly  desirous  of  being  united  with  us  anj 

^Iti^^l  :Zr  P"*^*'"^"  ^"'^  ^«"*---  We%re  bouiTd  L  inform 
you  that  he  inhabitants  and  lands  over  which  you  claim  to  exercise  authr 

: tr  Th?'^  ^'""^t"°"  .^'  Massachuse'i.  and  that  TZ:^''Z 
nghte      If,  however,  neither  rights  nor  reasons  wiU  induce  you  to  hearken 
we  shall  contmually  protest  against  all  further  proceedings  of  yours  ^^2 
any  pretended  patent  or  combination  whatever."  »  ^       ' 

Such  in  brief,  was  the  reply  of  Massachusetts.  It  will  mye 
Irisen  Go  r'T"  "'  '''  "^'"^^  ''  *'^  ^°"«'^*  -t^^h  ^-d 
ment  by  the  Massachusetts  government  of  three  commissioners 
to  confer  with  Gov.  Godfrey  and  his  council.  They  met  It 
Kittery  Pomt  Reconciliation  was  impossible,  as  both  parties 
were  mexorable.  The  commissioners  then  issued  a  prodami! 
tion  to  the  people  of  Maine,  informing  them  that  Massachusetts 

which  she  claimed,  and  promising  them  full  protection  in  their 
estates  and  all  other  rights. 

Gov.  Godfrey  and  his  council  issued  a  counter  proclamation 
sZheTe     ^T'"^'  of  Massachusetts  in  the  severest  terms! 

V  a  h' ?  r  .  "''  f  ^"^'°"'  '"  '''  ^''^^'^  '^^^^on  of  this 
yeai,  declared  its  northern  boundary  or  limit  to  commence 
three  miles  north  of  the  head  of  the  Merrimack  River;  to  extend 
directly  east  on  that  parallel,  passing  above  the  northern  sourcfs 
of  Piscataqua  or  Salmon  Falls  River;  thence  crossing  the  Saco 
near  the  mouth  of  Little  Ossipee,  which  was  about  twenty  miles 
from  the  sea,  it  touched  the  most  southerly  bend  of  the  Pre' 
Bumpscot,  and  terminated  at  Clapboard  Island,  about  three 
miles  eastward  of  Casco  peninsula. 
In  the  prosecution  of  this  claim,  the  General  Court  of  Massa- 

*  Hazard's  Collections,  vol.  1.  p.  BGL 


126 


THE  BiaTORY  OF  MAINE. 


t5hu8ett8  sent  two  experienced  shipmasters  to  ascertain  the  pre- 
cise latitude  sought  for  on  the  coast.     They  fixed  the  point 
upon  the  northern  extremity  of  the  little  island  we  have  men- 
tioned in  Casco  Bay.     Here  they  marked  the  letters  M.  B.  on 
several  trees,  and  also  chiselled  them  into  a  rock  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  sea.i    Six  gentlemen  were   appointed  to 
organize  a  government  in  the  country  south  of  this  line."    On 
the  15th  of  November,  1652,8  four  of  them  met  at  Kittery,  and 
sent  out  their  summons  to  the  inhabitants  to  meet  the  next 
morning  at  the  house  of  William  Everett,  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  a  court  of  justice.     There  was  much  diversity  of 
opinion  respecting  the  adverse  claims  of  Maine  and  Massachu- 
setts.    Negotiations  were  protracted  through  four  days,  during 
which  angry  passions  were  excited,  and  there  was  much  mutual 
recrimination   and   abuse.     At  length  forty-one  persons  were 
induced  to  subscribe  to  the  following  declaration :  — 

"  We,  whose  names  are  under  written,  do  acknowledge  ourselves  subject 
to  the  government  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New  England." 

The  ccramiMioners,  having  thus  triumphed,  announced  to  the 
people  that  their  rights  would  remain  untouched,  and  that  they 
were  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  of  citizens  of  Massachusetts 
without  being  required  to  take  the  oath  of  submission.     They 
then  proceeded  to  Agamenticus,  which  in  their  report  they 
spelt  Accomenticus.  .The  inhabitants  were  summoned  to  appear 
at  the  house  of  Nicholas  Davis  to  assume  the  responsibilities, 
and  to  be  invested  with  the  rights,  of  citizens  of  Massachusetts.' 
The  meeting  was  held  on  the  22d  of  November.     A  few 
were  obstinate  in  their  resistance,  and  a  spirited  controversy 
ensued.      Gov.  Godfrey,  who  resided  at  this   place,   led  the 
opposition.     But,  when  a  formal  vote  was  called  for,  a  large 
majority  was  found  in  f:.vor  of  seeking  the  protection  of  the 
salutary  laws  of  Massachusetts.     It  was  very  certain  they  had 
nothing  to  lose  by  the  change,  and  something,  at  least,  to  gain. 
The  governor,  finding  himstlf  entirely  outvoted,  yielded,  and 

1  Kecords,  Resolves,  and  Journals  of  Massachusetts  Government,  vol.  H.  p  240 
^  Hutchinsoa's  Massachusetts,  vol.  1.  p,  IfiO. 
«  Williamson,  vol.  L  p.  343. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


187 


with  fifty  others  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  government 
of  the  Massachusetts  Colony.^ 

The  territory  of  Maine,  thus  annexed  to  Massachusetts,  v.  <\8 
called  "  The  County  of  Yorkshire."  Agaraenticus  received  th. 
name  of  York,  from  that  city  in  England,  which,  twelve  years 
before,  had  been  surrendered  by  the  royalists  to  the  parliamen- 
tary  forces,  after  one  of  the  most  bloody  battles  of  the  civil 
war.  A  county  court  was  established,  to  be  held  alternately  at 
York  and  Kittery. 

It  was  universally  admitted  that  the  Massachusetts  commis- 
sioners  had  discharged  their  duties  with  admirable  wisdom,  and 
with  triumphant  success.  They  were  richly  rewarded  for  their 
services,  received  a  vote  of  public  thanks,  and  a  valuable  present 
of  wild  lands.  At  the  next  general  court  of  elections  at  Bos- 
ton, two  deputies  from  Maine  represented  the  county  of  York- 
shire.  Other  towns  rapidly  came  into  this  arrangement,  such 
as  Wells,  Saco,  and  Cape  Porpoise. 

The  energy  of  the  Massachusetts  government  soon  began  to 
develop  itself.  The  inhabitants  of  the  three  last-named  towns 
were  required  within  a  year  to  construct  a  road  wide  enough 
for  the  passage  of  carts  from  house  to  house,  within  the  town 
limits ;  and  also  to  connect  their  several  towns  with  paths  suf- 
ficient for  woodmen  or  horses. 

The  ecclesiastical  condition  of  the  Province  of  Maine  waa  at 
that  time  very  discouraging.  There  was  no  ordained  ministry. 
1  hough  there  were  probably  many  individual  Christians,  who,  in 
their  humble,  unostatentious  lives,  were  developing  the  spirit  of 
that  gospel  whose  fundamental  tenet  is,  "  to  do  justly  love 
mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  God,"  yet  the  clamor  of 'noisy 
disputants  and  turbulent  fanatics  filled  the  land.  Any  brazen- 
faced man,  however  ignorant,  however  immoral,  however  atro- 
cious the  sentiments  he  promulgated,  could  assume  the  position 
of  a  religious  teacher.  Ecclesiastical  anarchy  reigned.  There 
was  freedom  of  speech  which  no  law  restrained. 

i„  I  "^f  *.°'^°  ^ter  another,  yielding  in  part  to  menaces  and  armed  force  save 


/ 


1S8 


THE  ffJSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


It  would  seem  tliat  the  good  sense  of  the  majority  of  tlio 
people  condemned  these  revolting  proceedings  of  a  bold  and 
vagabond  minority.  The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  passed 
a  law  prohibiting  any  one  from  publicly  preaching,  without  the 
approbation  of  the  four  neighboring  churches.  Each  town  wa* 
also  required  to  support  a  pious  ministry.  It  is  supposed  that 
the  population  of  the  towns  which  thus  came  under  the  juris- 
diction of  Massachusetts  amounted  to  about  two  thousand  one 
hundred.  There  were  many  bitterly  opposed  to  this  "  subjuga- 
tion," as  they  called  it ;  but  the  minority  was  not  strong  enough 
to  present  any  serious  obstacle  to  the  measure.* 

The  year  1651  opened,  on  the  whole,  favorably  for  the  inhal)- 
itants  of  New  England.  By  fishing,  agriculture,  and  hunting, 
the  settlers  obtained  a  competent  support.  The  laws  and 
human  rights  began  to  be  more  respected.  Still  there  was  a 
very  radical  difference  in  the  ecclesiastical  and  political  princi- 
ples of  the  early  settlers  of  Maine  and  Massachusetts.  Gorges 
and  Mason  were  the  avowed  enemies  of  both  the  civil  and 
religious  views  of  the  Massachusetts  Puritans.  They  detested 
republicanism,  and  were  strong  advocates  of  the  Church  of 
England.     With  candor  and  truthfulness  Mr.  Sullivan  says,  — 


•'  Gorges  and  Mason  had  been  considered  before  the  year  1640  aa  enemies 
in  principle,  to  the  New  England  Colonies.  They  were  both  anti-republi- 
cans, and  were  strong  Episcopalians.  The^  settled  no  orthodox  clergyman, 
according  to  what  the  neighboring  colonies  called  orthodoxy;  nor  did  they, 
indeed,  before  that  year,  estabUsh  or  support  any  kind  of  government,  or 
even  attempt  to  establish  any  form  of  worship;  nor  did  they  pay  any  atten- 
tion to  public  schools.  It  was  very  evident  that  they  held  all  the  Puritan 
regulations  in  contempt.  Their  government  over  their  servants,  vassals, 
and  tenants,  from  a  want  of  those  regulations,  became  weak  and  inefficient. 
We  therefore  fiiul  constant  complaints  of  their  being  plundered  by  their 
servants,  cheated  by  their  agents,  and  of  being  deserted  by  their  vassals. 

"  Gorges  wishing  to  have  the  other  colonies  annihilated,  and  to  have  a 
general  government  over  the  whole  country,  urged  the  point  of  the  king's 
re-assuming  the  lands  granted  by  his  ancestor,  and  making  new  grants  of  the 
whole;  rnd  according  to  this  idea,  he  and  Mason  having  surrendered  their 
title,  he  took  the  charter  in  the  year  1639,  for  the  Pioviuce  of  Maine."  * 


•  ■NVillianison's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  i.  p.  356. 

•  Hi.story  of  the  District  of  Maine,  by  James  Sullivan,  p.  141 


Tse  ajBTonr  or  uaise.  129 

It  WM  ihU  undeiljing  l.oHtility  between  the  Purifm  and  ti.e 
C.y.l,er,  wh.ch  led  tl,e  government  of  the  M«»«aehn.etta  Colony 

included  in  Iho  Gorges  and   Mason   patents.     The   political 

lirttT"^,^^''"™^"  ™"''*  '''"°»''  "hose  surges 'dth« 
against  the  rook-bound  coast  of  the  New  World 

There  was  8  little  group  of  Dutchmen  at  the  mouth  of  the 

"otThe  coT;    7m  ™  T"  "  '"^  '="«'■»''  '■-le'B  scatte  ed 
«^ong  the  coast  of  Massachusetts  and  Maine.     Beyond  the  Pen- 
ol«cot  were  tho  straggling  settlements,  few  and  feeble,  of  the 
French.     Vast  realms,  boundless  and  unexplored,  spread     « 
towards  the  west,  whose   grandeur  the   imagina,  on  was  ex 

fhat  tte"'f  •""'"■«".  i"  "P'"™-  0°«  "O"-  '-"  "-ought 
haidsh  ps  of  the  wldernesa,  might  have  lived  in  peace  as  broth- 
ers  heVmg  and  cheering  one  another.  They  thus  might  have 
had  happy  hves,  notwithstanding  all  the  ills  that  flesh  is  heir 
to  Instead  of  th,,,  a  large  portion  of  their  energies  were 
expended  in  shooting  one  another,  burning  the  housfs,  dev^! 
taUng  the  plantations,  and  filling  the  land  with  the  wail  ngsTf 
widows  and  orphans     Thus  clouds  and  darkness  ere  long  be 

the  D„tl.  T        >  )t^f""^'-     ^""^  ^"S"'"-'  ">e  French,  and 

tht  fort  ^'  """^  *'"""'y'  »"''  "'''^  *»P»^d  to 

ngnt  tor  its  possession.  *^ 

Dutch  upon  the  Hudson  were  arming  the  savages  of  New  Eng! 
land,  and  mcifng  them  to  a  combined  attack  of  exterminatiol 
against  the  English  settlements  along  the  coasts  of  MaTno  and 
Massachusetts      The  Indians  of  Maine  were  at  this  time  omte 
umerous.    They  had  obtained,  both  from  the  French  and  I  o! 
hsh,  guns  and  ammunition.    Many  of  them  had  become  skilfCl 
marksmen.    Being  as  well  armed  as  the  white  men,  and  con- 
sc.ous  of  a  great  superiority  in  numbers,  they  became  bold,  very 
exacting,  and  often  insolent.    Not  nnfrequentiy  a  gang  of  Ta  f 
a  do.ea  savages  on  the  hunt  would  approach  the  log  hut  „ 
some  lonely  settler.     With  swaggering  air  they  would  take  pos- 


130 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


session  of  the  premises,  feast  themselves  to  satiety,  occupy  the 
cabin  for  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  go  on  their  way,  without 
saying  so  much  as  "  I  thank  you." 

The  menacing  attitude  of  the  savages  became  alarming,  and 
their  depredations  intolerable,  and  the  more  intolerable,  since  it 
was  fully  believed  that  they  were  stimulated  to  these  outrages 
by  the  Dutch  authorities  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson.  The 
public  agitation  became  so  great,  in  view  of  these  facts  and 
these  rumors,  that  a  convention  was  held  of  the  commissioners 
of  the  United  Colonies,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1653,  to  take  the 
subject  into  consideration.  It  was  apprehended  that  the  French 
on  the  east,  and  the  Dutch  on  the  west,  were  conspiring  to  crush 
the  English  between  them.  The  reports  were  carefully  inves- 
tigated. Indians  were  summoned  before  the  court  to  give  their 
testimony  ;  and  then  a  very  earnest  letter  was  written  to  the 
Dutch  governor  requiring  an  explanation.  Indignantly  the 
governor  replied,  — 

1 

"There  is  not  one  word  of  truth  in  the  scandalous  report  raised  about 
my  conduct.  I  marvel  much  at  the  novel  course  pursued  in  placing  any 
confidence  in  the  testimony  of  an  Indian.  I  am  ready  at  any  time  to  make 
explanations,  and  U    ny  extent  within  my  power." 

This  denial  of  the  governor  did  not  satisfy  the  commissioners. 
Though  they  separated  without  declaring  war  against  the  Dutch, 
all  friendly  intercourse  between  them  was  interrupted.  Indeed, 
the  New  Haven  Colonists  were  imder  such  apprehensions  that 
the  Dutch  were  about  to  bring  down  the  powerful  nation  of 
the  Mohawks  against  them,  that  they  sent  a  petition  to  Crom- 
well, then  Lord  Protector  of  England,  that  he  would  aid  them 
with  a  fleet  and  well-armed  troops.* 

»  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol  i  p.  16* 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  PROVINCE  OP  MAINE  ANNEXED  TO  MASSACHUSETTS. 

Troubles  on  the  Piscataqua- Career  of  La  Tour-Menaces  of  War-Measures 
of  Cromwell -Conquest  of  Nova  Scotia  -  Character  of  La  Tour-Tradine 
iTmT  «'  ^""i^'^'TJ^"  ^""'^  Administered-Sale  of  the  Right  of 
M^!7r.fT^T  "!    ^T"*^"  Patent-Political  Connection  between 

ZZ     ^^        fn^  °f  Union -Rev.  Jobn-Wheplwright  -  Correspondence 
-Restoration  of  Charles  IL-Petition  of  Goi^es -  Charter  to  the  Duke  of 

TT  will  be  remembered  that  the  Piscataqua  River  was  the 
-L  south-west  boundary  of  the  Province  of  Maine.    This  region 
was  one  of  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  Indians.     Early  in  the 
spring  of  1653,  just  as  the  settlers  were  about  to  put  their  seed 
in  the  ground,  the  alarming  rumor  ran  along  the  coast,  that  more 
than  a  thousand  Indian  warriors  were  upon  the  upper  waters 
ot  the  Piscataqua,  resolved  to  lay  all  the  defenceless  settle- 
ments  in  ashes.     It  was  still  supposed,  though  probably  very 
unjustly,  that  the  Dutch  governor  on  the  Hudson  was  instigab- 
mg  this  movement.     The  government  of  the  New  Haven  Col- 
ony despatched  agents  to  England,  to  implore  the  protection  of 
Oliver  Cromwell,  who  was  then  in  power.     The  Massachusetts 
Colony  promptly  ordered  Major-Gen.  Dennison,  with  twenty- 
four  well-armed  men,  to  reconnoitre  the  strength  and  position 
or  the  foe.^ 

La  Tour,  whose  life  had  been  as  varied  and  eventful  as  the 
imagination  of  a  romancer  could  fancy,  was  now  residing  at  St 
John,  with  Madame  D'Aulney  as  his  bride.     Upon  receiving 
his  Catholic  wife,  he  had  renounced  his  Protestantism,  and  thus 
he  gathered  around  him  the  powerful  influences  of  the  French 


*  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  p.  156. 


131 


SB-^SSl^- 


132 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


court  and  the  Pupal  Church.  He  was  a  wild,  bold,  reckless 
adventurer,  but  slightly  influenced  by  any  consciousness  of  right 
or  wrong.  The  Catholic  missionaries  had  attained  a  wonderful 
ascendency  over  the  minds  of  the  Indians.  It  was  strongly 
suspected  that  La  Tour  was  combining  the  Indians  of  Canada, 
JNova  bcotia,  and  Maine,  to  sweep  away  the  English  settle- 
ments,  and  thus  vastly  to  extend  his  realms.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  prohibited  all 
commercial  intercourse  with  the  French  on  the  east,  and  the 
Dutch  on  the  west,  under  penalty  of  the  forfeiture  of  both  ves- 
sel and  cargo. 

n  J^'^  ^i"T^  ^'''  '^''"'  ^"^  ^^"  '°1°^^««  i"to  great  distress. 
Ihey  had  done  but  little  towards  raising  food  by  cultivating 
the  land.     The.savages  lived  a  half-sUrved  life,  upon  the  little 
corn  they  harvested,  esculent  roots,  ish,  and  clams.     They  had 
no  provisions  to  sell.     The  French,  with  their  trinkets,  pur- 
chased the  furs   of   the   Indians,   which  were  then  in    great 
demand.     With  these  they  ha'd  obtained  ample  supplies  of  food 
from  the  more  highly  cultivated  regions  of  Southern  Maine, 
Massachusetts,  and  Connecticut.     This  virtual  blockade  of  their 
ports  doomed  them  to  starvation.     La  Tour,  assuming  that  he 
was  unjustly  accused  of  conspiring  against  the  English,  bitterly 
remonstrated  against  this  unfriendly  act,  when  there  was  peace 
between  the  two  nations. 

It  did  seem  to  e  a  very  harsh  measure,  for  the  Court  acted 
upon  suspicion  alone  without  any  convincing  proof.  For  a  time 
the  General  Court  seemed  disposed  to  change  its  policy.  It 
occurred  to  some,  that  by  treating  the  French  'kindly,  and  win- 
ning their  friendship  through  intimate  commercial  intercourse 
the  Catholic  priests  among  them  might  restrain  and  disarm  the 
ferocity  of  the  savage.  They  therefore  loaded  a  vessel  with 
floui  and  other  provisions,  and  sent  it  to  the  St.  John  River. 

In  the  mean  time  the  energetic  Oliver  Cromwell  had  sent 
three  or  four  war-vessels  to  Boston,  with  orders  to  raise  there  a 
volunteer  force  of  about  five  hundred  men,  for  the  reduction 
of  the  Dutch  colony  on  the  Hudson.  Secret  orders  were  also 
issued,  for  this  military  expedition,  which  was  very  powerful 
for  the  time  and  region,  immediately  upon  the  conquest  of 


THE  ItlBTOXr  OF  MAJKE.  133 

Manhattan,  to  turn  ite  arras  against  the  French  on  the  north- 

&oUa     mT       ""  '"'•™  ™"'>"^^'  "'  *'-  P™""''^    f  Nova 
Sootia.    Measures  were  m  vigorous  operation  in  Massaehusetts 

for  organ,z,„g  the  naval  and  land  force  to  strike  thoT  to  cot 

omes  by  surprise,  when  the  news  reached  Boston,  on  tie  2°d 

of  June  1054,  that  articles  of  peace  had  been  signed  betwtn 

thcDut     ,"'*'°  °"'"''  ''■"'^'^•™"  '"■"  •-«Hties    gS 
■  *^P""°I'  "olony  were  immediately  to  cease. 

Seol'.  'By^Aete'atl^f 'r  ""^  """^  '"™"''  ^°™ 
oy  me  treaty  ot  ht.  Germain,  executed   twentv-twn 

years  before  this  country  had  been  surrendered  to  thlFleT 

nltoMV  '"'^  "'"•  ■^'•^  ■"='"  "'  ^•"""^^  I-  ■'  '«"  «till,;  cort 
21  A  74  °^  ™*'""''  "  ™  »  '<'g'«™a'«  transact  on.  M 
Eng  and  and  France  were  at  peace,  it  would  be  difficult  ^^  ins! 

fy  the  conduct  of  Cromwell  in  sending,  without  any  deelarl 
bon  of  w^.  a  military  expedition  to  regam  the  territory.    B^ 

he  Lord  Protector  assumed  that  the  king  had  no  right  to  cede 
thstemt„ry,m  violation  of  patents  -^hich  he  had  Lnted  hi! 

ubects;  and  he  affirmed  that  the    purohase-monfy    of  five 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  promised  by  the  French  government 
had  never  been  paid.*  ■  s^vmnment, 

The  expedition,  having  set  sail,  touched  at  the  Penobscot  and 

:iTi  ="rr:wr:;x^?r"t?'' ? 

was  any  resistance  offered.      Indeed  La  T„,.      "''"'f  ?''«=« 
Afferent  in  view  of  the  prosit ^'f' J^^  Il,eTEr„rel': 
master,  so  long  as  his  territorial  possessions  and  his  peS 
property  were  respected.    The  English  speedily  took  pos!  IZ 
of  the  whole  Province,  and  placed  over  it  Cant.  LeveretrZ 
o    the  leadei.  of  the  expedition,  as  temporary'governor     The 
French  court  complained  ot  this  operation,  and  for  some  thl. 
.t  was  the  subject  of  a  diplomatic  controversy     The  E„S 
held  he  region  for  thirteen  years,  when,  by  the^reaty  of  fife  "a 
it  was  re-surrendered  to  the  French."  ' 

"  ■wmiamson's  Hbtory  ot  Maine,  vol  1  o  mi     win. 
«..tl,orltlM  »  mbswntlate  tl,.»  ,.,M  ™„i  ''  W""""""-'  Pt».i.t.  s.y.r« 

l.ml  p°S'''  *°'"*"'  ^■^''  "'•  '■  »■  '«'■  """bard..  m.^y  „,  N.„  ,,„„ 


■ 


184 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Soon  after  this  La  Tour  died.  His  character  was  as  strange 
as  his  singular  and  tumultuous  career.  He  w«8  a  man  of  con- 
siderable ability,  of  good  personal  appearance,  and  of  very 
plausible  address.  Sometimes  rich,  sometimes  poor,  sometimes 
a  denounced  outlaw,  and  again  in  favor  with  the  court,  he 
seemed  quite  devoid  of  any  sense  of  honor,  as  almost  of  any 
distinction  between  right  and  wrong.  Religion  was  with  him 
like  i  glove,  which  was  to  be  put  on  and  taken  off  at  his  pleas- 
ure. His  firat  wife  was  apparently  a  noble  woman  ;  in  faith  a 
Protestant,  and  in  heart  and  life  a  sincere  Christian. 

D'Aulney  battered  down  the  fortress  of  La  Tour,  took  his 
wife  a  prisoner,  and  kept  her  in  captivity  until  her  death.  Upon 
the  death  of  D'Aulney,  La  Tour  rebuilt  his  fortress,  married 
the  Catholic  widow  of  his  deadly  antagonist,  surrounded  him- 
self with  Catholic  priests,  regained  the  patronage  of  the  court, 
and  lived  in  comparative  power  and  splendor  until  he  died.  He 
left  one  child,  Stephen  de  Id  Tour,  to  whom  he  bequeathed  a 
very  large  landed  estate,  leaving  many  debts  unpaid.  Crom- 
well confirmed  Stephen  de  la  Tour  in  the  possessions  he  inher- 
ited from  his  father.  He,  however,  claimed  no  territory  south 
of  Passamaquoddy  Bay.* 

The  Province  of  Nova  Scotia  was  considered  as  of  great 
value.  The  French  finally  ceded  the  country  to  England,  and 
Cromwell  appointed  Sir  Thomas  Temple  its  governor.  He 
entered  upon  his  office  in  1657,  and  discharged  its  duties  with 
much  ability,  and  with  the  courtesies  of  an  accomplished  gen- 
tleman, for  ten  years.  When  the  Massachusetts  government 
was  condemning  Quakers,  he  sent  them  word  that  any  of  the 
Quakers  they  wished  to  get  rid  of,  he  would  cheerfully  welcome 
to  his  Province,  and  would  defray  &11  the  expenses  of  their 
removal. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Colony  of  New  Plymouth 
had  established  an  important  trading-post  on  the  Kennebec 
River.  For  a  time  the  traffig.  was  very  lucrative.  The  Indians 
brought  in  large  quantities  of  valuable  furs,  which  they  sold 
for  mere  trifles.     But  gradually  the  number  of  traders  increased. 

»  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  L  p.  190;  WlUiamson's  History 
of  Maine,  vol.  i.  p.  162. 


TBE  BlSTOSr  OF  MAINE.  135 

the  value  of  their  furs.     Unprincipled  adventurera  crowded  in 
defrauding  the  Indians;  and  the  eolony  at  Plymouth  wttw 
aXZT""""'"  ^^'^""^  "^  >"- over  thf  distant  rfgio: 
temtoiy  on  the  Sagadahoc,  between  Merrymeeting  Bay  and 

:K:ethrd""no«ur'' ""'•'''  '-^  ^--"-^  ■<"-''••" 

It  was  indeed  a  chaotic  state  of  society,  and  the  seeds  „f 
...numerable  lawsuits  were  being  sown.     P  essed  by  such  em 

traffic  with  the  Ind.ans  on  the  Kennebec  possessions     Five 

feroTth'™'""""  °'  *'  ""'""^  PU-haaed'this'^h  -for  he 

iTfit  r,^  ^T'/"'  """  """"«'  »»«'  "f  »'»'"  on!  hand  ed 
and  fifty  dollars.'  These  gentlemen  were  Gov.  Bradforf  a^d 
Mess...  Wjnslow,  Prince,  Millet,  and  Paddy.  Bu"  w^ 
no  end  to  the  complaints  with  which  they  were  assailed  and  ^ 
the  annoyances  which  they  encountered."^  Still  rte  ptchase  ^ 
struggled  on,  breasting  these  difficulties,  and  at  the  ex^tTo^ 
of  the.r  lease  obtamed  its  extension  for  three  years  mofe  Bv 
the  terms  of  this  renewal  it  was  required  that  some  Te  of  the 
lessees  should  continnally  reside  within  the  patent.  It  wa^ 
deemed  necessary  ,0  summon  the  inhabitants  of  that  lion  Z 

men  .Tk''."V''""'"'  "f  ""'S'''-^  ">  *»  new™,^ 
l:Ctthcl";.^'™^'^"'  '°  ""=  '«-  — ^V'He 
A  warrant  was  issued  to  the  inhabitants  on  the  Kennebec  to 
assemble  on  the  23d  of  May,  1654,  at  the  house  of  Thorn  ^ 
Ashley,  near  the  banks  of  Merrymeeting  Bay.     Mr.  PrinceT 

reefy  or  indirectly,  by  la„d  or  wZ,   ra^h^ut  ty  'teT;  "Lrdtt  ''■ 
t.on  or  overthrow  onhe  whole  or  part  of  this  ^o^i^^t^Zx^TX, 
'  Morton's  New-England  Memorial,  p.  133. 


li)6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


or  established;  but  shall  contrariwise  hinder  and  oppose  such  intents  t 
purposes  as  tend  thereunto,  and  discover  them  to  those  who  are  in  plao  1  / 
the  time  being,  that  the  government  may  be  informed  thereof  with  all  jc  i- 
venient  speed.  You  sliall  also  submit  to  and  observe  all  such  good  •  id 
wholesome  laws,  ordinances,  and  officers,  as  are  or  shall  be  established  witi  >a 
the  several  limits  thereof.  So  help  you  God,  who  is  the  God  of  tnith,  a  ad 
punisher  of  falsehood."  • 

A  briei  >•  J  3  of  laws  was  also  established  by  the  convention. 
All  capital  oumes,  such  as  treason  and  murder,  were  to  be  tried 
by  the  General  Court  at  New  Plymouth.  Minor  offences,  such 
as  theft,  drunkenness,  profaning  the  sabbath,  and  selling  intox- 
icating drink  to  the  Indians,  came  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
local  commissioner's  court.  Fishing  and  fowling  were  declared 
to  be  free.  All  civil  suits,  not  involving  an  amount  exceeding 
one  hundred  dollars,  were  to  be  tried  before  a  jury  of  twelve 
men.'' 

The"  value  of  the  exclusive  right  of  the  fui*  and  peltiy  trade 
with  the  Indians  was  continually  decreasing.  With  the  increase 
of  population,  game  was  becoming  scarce.  The  Indians  grew 
more  shrewd  in  trade,  and  demanded  higher  prices.  For  three 
years,  after  1656,  the  trade  was  let  for  an  annual  rent  amount- 
ing to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars ;  and  even  this 
small  sum  the  lessees  declared,  on  the  fourth  year,  that  they 
were  unable  to  pay.  At  length  the  monopoly  was  offered  at  a 
premium  of  fifty  dollars  a  year. 

The  original  patent,  granted  by  the  Council  of  Plymouth  in 
England,  to  the  Colony  of  New  Plymouth,  consisted  of  "  all 
that  tract  of  land  or  part  of  New  England  in  America,  which 
lies  between  Cobbossecontee,  now  Gardiner,  which  adjoineth 
the  river  Kennebec,  towards  the  western  ocean,  and  a  place 
called  the  Falls  of  Neguamkike,  and  a  space  of  fifteen  miles  on 
each  side  of  the  Kennebec." 

It  will  be  perceived  that  these  boundaries  were  exceedingly 
indefinite.  The  location  of  Neguamkike  Falls  is  uncertain.  It 
is  supposed  that  they  were  about  sixteen  miles  above  Cobbos- 
secontee River,  near  North  Sidney .^  Mr.  Williamson  writes  of 
this  patent :  — 

»  Kecorda  of  Plymontli  Colony.    2  Hazard's  Historical  Collectiona,  vol.  i.  p.  S8fi 
•  Hist,  of  New  England  by  Coolltlge  and  Mansfield,  p.  108,  note. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


137 


♦•Itshmita,  as  ultimately  settled,  were  in  the  north  line  of  Woolwich 
below  Swan  Island,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Kennebec,  through  the  south 
bend  of  the  river  Cobboasecontee,  on  the  western  side,  and  fifteen  miles  in 
width  on  either  side  of  the  main  river,  to  an  easterly  and  westerly  line  which 
crosses  Wessari^nsett  River,  in  Comville,  a  K^ague  above  its  mouth:  contain- 
lug  about  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  acres. "  » 

This  grant  conferred  the  exclusive  right  of  trade  with  the 
natives,  and  at  all  times  an  open  passage  down  the  river  to  the 
sea.  For  some  time  the  proprietors  claimed  the  whole  territory 
to  the  ocean.  This  led  to  litigation,  an  account  of  which  would 
only  weary  the  reader.  In  the  year  1661  the  whole  patent 
was  sold  to  a  company,  for  a  sum  amounting  to  about  two 
thousand  dollars.  Soon  after  this  the  company  erected  a  fort 
at  Maquoit.2 

Years  passed  slowly  away,  while  the  affairs  of  this  remote 
and  dreary  trading-post  continued  to  languish.  No  attempt 
was  made  to  establish  a  plantation  there  for  agricultural  pur- 
poses. The  government  was  chaotic,  and  but  little  respect  was 
paid  to  laws  or  rulers.  Emigration,  for  a  time,  was  flowing 
back  from  the  New  World  to  the  Old  ;  and  New  Plymouth  had 
no  surplus  population  to  send  to  the  banks  of  the  Kennebec. 

But  the  political  connection  now  formed  between  Maine  and 
Massachusetts  continued,  with  some  slight  interruptions,  for  a 
period  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  years.  The  salutary 
laws  of  Massachusetts  were  gradually  accepted  by  the  people. 
The  Massachusetts  government  was  administered  by  a  gov- 
ernor, a  deputy  governor,  a  council  of  eighteen,  and  a  house 
of  deputies.  It  was  truly  a  republican  government,  the  rulers 
being  chosen  by  the  people.  The  towns  elected  the  represen- 
tatives. Ten  freemen  entitled  the  town  to  one  deputy ;  twenty, 
to  two.  None  could  have  more  than  two.  No  one  could  be  a 
deputy  "  who  was  unsound  in  the  main  points  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  as  held  forth  and  acknowledged  by  the  generality 
of  Protestant  orthodox  writers."'  Under  the  colonial  charter, 
Maine  was  never  represented  by  more  than  five  deputies  at  one 
time.     The  reader  who  is  interested  in  the  details  of  the  politi- 

1  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  237. 

«  Greenleafa  Reports,  vol.  iii.  p.  Ill;  Snllivan,  p.  118. 

«  I?*cord9  of  MaHsa.".hnset.ts  Government,  vol.  ii.  p.  233. 


18^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■ 


cal,  ecclesiastical,  and  military  administration,  will  find  them 
quite  fully  presented  in  Williamson's  excellent  History  of 
Maine. 

The  people  who  were  religiously  disposed  were  encouraged 
by  law  to  congregate  and  embody  themselves  into  a  church 
estate,  to  elect  and  ordain  their  officers,  to  admit  and  to  disci- 
phne  or  to  excommunicate  their  members.  And  yet  it  was 
declared  that  no  church  censure  was  ever  to  affect  any  man's 
property,  civil  dignity,  office,  or  authority.  It  must  be  admitted 
that  the  practice  was  not  always  in  accordance  with  these 
avowed  principles.  The  connection  between  Church  and  State 
was  so  intimate  in  England,  that  the  colonists  in  their  new  home 
could  not  entirely  dissever  them. 

By  a  law  enacted  in  1644,  it  was  declared,  that  to  affirm  that 
man  is  justified  by  his  own  works,  and  not  by  Christ's  righteous- 
ness; or  to  deny  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body,  the  sacredness  bf  the  sabbath,  or  the  authority  of 
the  magistracy,  —  tended  to  subvert  the  Christian  faith,  and  to 
destroy  the  souls  of  men.  It  was  also  enacted,  in  1646,  that  it 
was  highly  penal  for  men  to  withhold  their  children  from  bap- 
tism. It  is  a  sad  comment  upon  the  times,  that  many  were 
severely  punished  by  fines,  whipping,  and  banishment,  and  some 
few  were  even  executed,  for  neglecting  the  baptism  of  their 
children.' 

Every  ecclesiastic  of  the  order  of  Jesuits,  as  "  devoted  to  the 
religion  and  court  of  Rome,"  was  ordered  into  banishment, 
unless  he  came  as  a  public  messenger;  even  4hen  he  was  to  be 
banished  if  he  behaved  offensively. 

The  Quakers  were  vehemently  attacked.  They  were  de- 
nounced as  a  cursed  sect  of  heretics,  pretending  to  be  immedi- 
ately sent  from  God,  and  inspired  to  write  blasphemous  opinions, 
despising  government,  reviling  magistrates,  speaking  evil  of  dig- 
nities, and  seeking  to  turn  people  from  the  true  faith.*  Their 
books  were  ordered  to  be  burned  by  tht  hangman ;  they  them- 
selves were  to  be  banished,  and,  if  they  returned,  to  be  put  to 
death. 

The  denial  of  the  inspiration  of  the  books  of  the  Old  and 


1  Williamson .  vol.  i.  p.  380. 


3  Colonial  T.nwa   n    101 

•■-?        f        — — i. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


i8» 


New  Testaments  Was  punished,  first  by  fine  or  whipping,  and, 
11  repeated,  by  imprisonment  and  even  death. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  sincere  desire  of  the  early  col- 
onists  to  establish  just  laws,  and  such  as  would  promote  the 
public  welfare.  We  must  not  blame  them  too  severely  for  not 
being  wise  above  their  generation.  The  progress  of  the  world, 
m  the  direction  of  freedom  and  toleration,  has  been  very  slow 
Many  of  the  enactments  were  humane;  and,  in  the  general  prin- 
ciples of  freedom,  the  colonists  were  far  in  advance  of  most  of 
the  governments  in  the  Old  World. 

In  every  town  a  record  was  ordered  to  be  kept  of  newly 
amved  emigrants  and  their  business  prospects.     All  strangeii 
who  were  in  wa.-t,  the  towns  were  bound  to  relieve.     The  help- 
less poor  were  to  be  provided  for.     All  cruelty  to  brute  animal* 
was  strictly  forbidden.     Laws  were  passed  to  protect  the  Indians 
in  their  fishing  and  hunting  grounds.     Every  town  of  fifty 
householders  was  required  to  employ  a  teacher  to  instruct  the 
children  m  reading  and  writing;  and  every  town  containing  a 
hundred  famihes  was  required  to  establish  a  grammar-schooL 
where  boys  might  be  fitted  for  college.     Heads  of  families  were 
ordered  to  instruct  their  servants  every  week  in  the  principle* 
of  the  Christian  religion.    It  is  sad  to  record  that  on  the  statute- 
book  torture  was  allowed,  to  compel  a  convicted  criminal  to 
disclose  his  confederates.     But  no  such  instance  of  torture  is  on 
record.    It  was  a  law  which  disgraced  the  statute-book,  but 
which  was  apparently  never  enforced. 

The  inhabitants  of  Maine  accepted  these  laws  from  Massa- 
chusetts. They  took  but  little  interest  in  political  questions, 
save  as  they  had  a  direct  practical  bearing  upon  their  dailv 
lives.  Perhaps  a  large  proportion  of  the  Massachusetts  Colon- 
ists  were  men  of  intelligence  and  deeply  fixed  principles,  who 
had  crossed  the  ocean  that  they  might  enjoy  the  civil  and  reli- 
gious institutions  which  were  so  dear  to  them.  When  they  had 
naade  such  immense  sacrifices  to  secure  these  privileges  for 
themselves  and  their  children,  it  is  not  strange  that  they  should 
have^wished  to  shut  out  from  their  wilderneesJiomes. those  who 
would  bring  across  the  ocean  those  antagonistic  civil  and  reli- 
gious  views,  which  would  promote   controversy,  discord,  and 


uo 


THE  U/STOar  OF  MAINE. 


But  most  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  Maine  had  been  lured 
to  that  region  for  purposes  of  traffic.  "  I  came  l^re,"  said  one 
of  them,  "  not  to  worship  God,  but  to  purchase  furs  and  pel- 
tries."  Thus  Maine  became  distinguished  for  what  is  often 
absurdly  called  liberalitt/,  but  which  is,  rather,  indiiference. 
Influenced  by  such  considerations,  religious  toleration  was 
exercised  here.  Noble  as  is  that  spirit,  it  must  be  admitted  that 
It  was  then  not  so  much  a  virtue  as  the  result  of  circumstances 
which  caused  men  to  care  for  none  of  those  things.  Maine 
became  the  asylum  of  fugitives  driven  from  the  otiier  colonies 
by  persepution.* 

It  was  in  the  year  1652  that  Messrs.  Sherman  and  Ince  re- 
ported that  the  northern  limit  of  the  Massachusetts  patent  was 
in  latitude  42%  43',  12^'.  In  accordance  with  this  report,  the 
next  summer  two  experienced  shipmasters,  Jonas  Clark  and 
Samuel  Adams,  were  sent  to  ascertain  where  this  line  would 
touch  the  Atlantic.  Tliey  found,  as  we  have  mentioned,  that  it 
was  at  the  northern  point  of  an  island  in  Casco  Bay,  callod  the 
upper  Clapboard  Island.  Here  they  cut  the  marks  of  the 
Massachusetts  boundary  on  several  trees,  and  also  chiselled  It 
into  a  large  gray  rock.  A  line  running  due  west  from  this 
point  on  the  Atlantic,  to  the  PaciBc  Ocean,  then  called  the 
^outh  Sea,  was  supposed  to  be  the  northern  limit  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts patent. 

Unwearied  efforts  were  made  to  induce  the  people,  on  the 
eastern  portion  of  this  territory,  to  yield  to  the  government  of 
Massachusetts,  as  those  on  the  western  portion  had  quite 
readily  done.  But  several  men,  of  commanding  influence  in 
the  vicinity  of  Saco,  were  very  determined  in  their  resistance. 
The  Massachusetts  Court  tried  all  the  efforts  of  conciliation 
and  menace,  for  a  time  in  vain.  Gradually  a  number  yielded  to 
the  conviction  that  their  interests  would  be  promoted  by  the 
annexation.  Others  were  arrested,  and  were  made  willing  by 
the  perils  of  fine  and  imprisonment.  In  1658  a  Massachusetts 
commission  opened  a  session  in  Lygonia,  at  the  house  of  Robert 
Jordan  in  Spurwink.      Here  most  of   the    male    population 


'  'Williamson,  vol.  1.  p.  385. 


TnS  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 

appeared,  and  took  the  oath  of  allegiance.* 
union  were  in  substance  as  follows : 


The  articles  of 


I.  All  the  people  in  these  parts  shall  be  exonerated  from  their  alle- 
giance to  jyiassachusetts,  whenever  a  supreme  or  general  governor  shall 
arrive  from  England. 

II.  All  their  opposition  and  other  past  wrongs  shaU  be  pardoned  and 
buried  in  oblivion. 

UI.  The  same  privileges  shall  be  secured  to  them  as  are  enjoyed  bv 
other  towns,  particularly  Kittery  and  York. 

IV.  Appeals  shall  be  allowed  in  all  cases  to  the  General  Court,  wheu 
sufficient  indemnity  is  offered  for  the  payment  of  costs, 

V.  None  of  the  privileges  hereby  granted  and  secured  shall  ever  b© 
forfeited  by  reason  of  any  differences  in  matters  of  religion. 

VI.  A  transcript  of  the  rights  and  privileges,  generaUy  possessed  by 
other  towns,  shall  be  sent  to  these  plantations  and  inhabitants.' 

The  towns  of  Scarborough  and  Falmouth  were  also  organized. 
Falmouth  had  a  sea  border  extending  from  Spurwink  River  to 
Clapboard  Island,  and  it  ran  back  eiglit  miles  into  the  country. 

The  union  of  Lygonia  to  Massachusetts  was  thus  effected, 
apparently  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  parties.  It  was  unques- 
tionably a  blessing  to  the  inhabitants  of  Maine.^ 

On  the  27th  of  October  the  inhabitants  of  York,  Kittery^ 
Wells,  Saco,  and  Cape  Porpoise,  presented  to  Cromwell,  then 

»  "After passing  the  ancient  plantations  of  Kittery,  York,  WeUs,  and  Saco  we 
come  to  Scarborongli,  wliich  l.as  never  changed  its  name  since  its  first  incorpora- 
tion.  It  extends  towards  the  east,  six  miles  in  width  on  the  coast,  to  the  month 
of  Spurwinlc  River,  which  seems  to  cut  off,  as  it  bounds,  the  eastwardly  comer 
of  the  town. 

"Spurwink  settlement  was  and  is  in  the  southerly  angle  of  the  town  toward* 
Spurwink  River."— TKi^janwon,  vol.  i.  pp.  29,  30. 

*  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  392. 

«  Hon.  William  WUlis,  one  of  the  most  discriminating  and  accurate  annalists 
expres-ses  the  opinion  that  Massachusetts  had  no  claim  over  the  jurisdiction  of 
Maine.    He  writes,  — 

"Massachusetts,  taking  advantage  of  the  triumph  of  her  principles  in  Eng- 
land, and  dreading  and  hating  the  Episcopal  power  in  Maine,  under  a  forced 
construction  of  the  language  of  her  charter,  assumed  title  and  jurisdiction  over 
aU  the  territory  southerly  of  a  Ime  from  Lake  Winnipiseogee  to  Casco  Bay.  She 
was  not  long  in  asserting  her  pretended  title. 

"This  usurpation  of  the  Bay  Colony  corresponded  with  that  of  the  Parlia- 
ment at  home;  and,  though  successful,  it  had  no  foundatiou  in  right.  I  will  not 
say  that  it  was  not  eventuaUy  best  for  the  people  here;  it  resulted  in  giving  them 
a  good  and  permanent  government,  and  stable  and  just  laws."— ^  Hiatorti  of  The 
Laws,  The  Courts,  and  the  Lawyers  of  Maine,  by  William  Willis,  p.  23. 


u? 


THE  HIBTORT  OF  MAIHE, 


Lord  Protector,  the  following  very  expressive  memorial.  It 
was  a  (loouraent  testifying  to  their  satisfaction  with  their  annex- 
ation  to  Massachusetts,  and  praying  for  its  continuance. 

••  Our  numbem,"  they  said,  "  are  few  ;  and  our  dissensions,  which  have 
been  many,  owing  principally  to  malecontent  loyalists,  are  happily  quieted 
by  wholesome  laws  and  watchful  rulers.  Through  their  provident  care, 
godly  persons  have  been  encouraged  to  settle  among  us;  our  affairs  have 
become  prosperous,  and  a  barrier  is  opposed  to  an  influx  upon  us  of  delin- 
■quents  and  other  ill-affected  persons,  the  fugitives  from  punishment.  Our 
pious  and  reverend  friend,  Mr.  John  Wheelwright,  some  time  with  us,  is 
now  m  England,  whose  thorough  knowledge  of  our  affairs  he  wiU,  at  your 
highnesa's  command,  be  happy  to  communicate. " » 

Rev.  John  Wheelwright,  to  whom  reference  is  here  made, 
was  a  man  of  undoubted  piety,  an  eloquent  preacher,  but  very 
zealous  in  the  enforcement  of  doctrinal  peculiarities,  v.-hich  few 
could  fully  understand.  He  affirmed,  that  the  "  Holy  Spirit 
dwells  personally  in  a  justified  convert,  and  that  sanctification 
can  in  no  wise  evince  to  believers  their  justification." 

It  seems  a  pity  that  the  good  man  could  not  have  been  per- 
mitted to  indulge  to  his  heart's  content  in  such  harmless  specu- 
lations. But  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts  declared  these 
views  to  be  Antinomian,  denounced  them  as  heretical,  and 
banished  him  from  the  State  in  the  year  1636.  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright, at  first,  removed  from  Braintree  to  Exeter,  N.H.,  where 
he  settled  on  land  obtained  from  the  Indians,  and  gathered  a 
<jhurch  ;  but,  as  Massachusetts  extended  her  jurisdiction  over 
the  territory  upon  which  he  had  settled,  he  .removed  to  Wells, 
in  Maine,  in  1643.a  He  died  at  Salisbury,  Mass.,  probably 
in  1679,  at  the  age  of -eighty  years. 

The  following  letter  from  Mr.  Wheelwright  throws  much 
light  upon  the  nature  of  the  ecclesiastical  conflicts  of  those 

»  Hutchinson's  Collection  of  State  Papers,  p.  396. 

2  "New  Hampshire  was  about  submitting  to  Massachusetts,  in  which  case 
Wlieelwright  and  his  companions  would  be  exposed  immediately  to  a  new 
banishment.  Gorges  had  assumed  the  authority  over  Maine;  and  they  could  not 
faU  to  be  assured  that,  imder  him,  tbey  might  find  a  refuge  which  would  not  be 
exposed  to  the  spiritual  tyranny  of  Massachusetts."  -Bourne's  History  of  WelU 
*nd  Kennebunk,  p.  12. 


TBE  UIBl'OHY  OF  MAINE. 


14S 


days,  and  certainly  reaects  credit  upon  both  parties  in  the 
unhappy  contention :  — 

thJnlf'T""  ^°«««'»'''"^.-Upon  the  long  and  mature  consideration  of 
things,  I  perceive  that  the  main  difference  between  yourselves,  and  some 

rnVri'^f  T'T  /!u°!:"  """^  '°°'  "'  P""''  °^  JustiHcation  and  tl.e  evidenciag 
hereof    s  not  of  that  nature  and  consequence,  as  was  then  presented  to  mo 

Ihlh  1  I'  ^  "  ,*'""'"  **'™P*'**'°"«'  -^"d  my  own  distempered  p«s5ons, 
which  makes  me  unfe.gnedly  sorry  that  I  had  such  a  hand  in  those  sharri 
^htlSlT^)  contentions  raised  thereabouts,  to  the  great  ditt  -rbance  of 
the  church  of  Chnst.  It  is  the  grief  of  my  soul,  that  I  used  such  vehe- 
ment  censorious  speeches,  in  the  application  of  my  sermon,  or  in  any  other 
vjntmg,  whereby  I  reflected  any  dishonor  upon  your  worships,  the  reverend 
elders,  or  any  of  contrary  judgment  to  myself. 

"It  repents  me,  that  I  did  so  much  adhere  to  persons  of  corrupt  judg- 
ments, to  the  countenancing  and  encouraging  of  them  in  any  of  their 
erx>.rs  or  evil  practices,  though  I  intended  no  such  thing;  and  that  in  the 
synod  used  such  unsafe  and  obscure  expressions,  falling  from  me  as  a 
man  d^zled  with  the  buffetings  of  Satan;  and  that  I  did  appeal  i-om 
misapprehension  of  things.  I  confess  that  herein  I  have  done  very  sinfully 
and  do  humbly  crave  pardon  of  your  honored  selves.  If  it  shall  appear  to 
ne  by  scnpture  light,  that  in  any  carriage,  writing,  word,  or  action  I  have 
vaUced  contrary  to  rule,  I  shaU  be  ready,  by  the  grace  of  God  to  trive 
sa^factioa.     Thus  hoping  that  you  willVdon  Sf  boldness  I  LI^ 

!f  thelllthf  ^7'  ""*^'P^  ^^'"-^"-g  y«"  to  the  good  providence 
of  the  Almighty,  and  ever  remam  your  worships'  in  all  service  to  be  com- 
manded  in  the  Lord. 

"  J.  Wheelwright."  » 

To  this  letter,  the  governor  gave  a  very  courteous  response, 
assuring  Mr.  Wheelwright  that  the  court  was  inclined  to  release 
him  from  his  banishment.  He  also  sent  him  a  safe-conduct, 
that  he  might  make  his  appeal  to  the  court  in  person.  Mr. 
Hubbard  writes,  — 

"  B"*  *1\«  next  court  released  his  banishment  without  l  appearance  • 
and  80,  If  they  had  overdone  in  passing  the  sentence,  it  migh.  Tpart  he  ^ 
tobalance  it.  that  they  were  so  ready  to  grant  him  a  releL.     W  ^t 

oWoh  fT  r  ^^7"^°^'  ""•^  ^'^°^  ^^^*«^  "^  *h«  P^toral  office  in  the 
^"tar^ed  3^h"'  '""l^l  B-t«helouv's  deposition,  he  accepted  the  caUf 
and  tamed  with  them  untU  b^c  removal  to  England  not  long  after,  where 

EnZd^J^'m  'i^;J^^^'^^^^^  Hubbard  hi  lis  General  History  of  New 
by  Wta?i^p  ^'™  ""  '^^"'^  ^•'^^  ^^'•^^>°"«  ^  "'«  copy  ^  preserved 


I 


144 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


he  tarried  many  years,  till,  upon  the  turn  of  times,  he  came  back  to  New 
England  again  ;  after  which  he  was  called  to  Salisbury,  where  he  accepted 
of  the  pastoral  office,  in  which  he  continued  till  the  day  of  his  death,  which 
happened  about  the  year  1681." » 


The  government  of  Massachusetts  was  the  more  inclined  to 
deal  leniently  with  Mr.  Wheelwright,  since  he  was  a  zealous 
Puritan,  and  a  high-minded  and  earnest  republican.  Upon 
visiting  England,  he  was  very  cordially  received  by  Oliver 
Cromwell. 

The  political  changes  taking  place  in  England  were  very 
sensibly  felt  through  the  remotest  colonies  of  the  kingdom. 
The  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  which  was  one  of  the  most 
memorable  events  in  history,  took  place  in  May,  1660.  The 
Church  of  England  and  the  crown  of  England  were  so  insepar- 
ably united,  that  the  royalists  and  Episcopalians  formed  one 
party.  The  republicans  were  almost  invariably  dissenters.  It 
is  estimated  that  the  population  of  the  English  colonies  in 
America  then  amounted  to  a  little  more  than  eighty  thousand 
souls.  Of  these  about  five  thousand  were  in  the  Province  of 
Maine ;  thirty-eight  thousand  were  in  the  more  southerly  parts 
of  New  England ;  in  Maryland  and  Virginia  there  were  about 
foi'ty-three  thousand.^ 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Ferdinando  Gorges  was  an 
^arnest  loyalist.  He  died  while  in  arms  in  defence  of  Charles 
[I.,  about  two  years  before  the  execution  of  that  unfortunate 
mciarch.  His  eldest  son,  John,  succeeded  to  the  titles  and 
estates  of  his  father ;  but  after  a  few  year^  John  died,  aiid  the 
succession  passed  to  his  eldest  son  Ferdinando. 

It  may  be  well  supposed  that  Charles  II.  had  no  sympathy 
with  the  dissenters  and  republicans  of  Massachusetts.  Gorges, 
with  several  associates,  petitioned  the  king  that  the  grant  of 
land  in  Maine,  conferred  upon  his  grandfather  and  others, 
might  be  restored  to  the  original  proprietors.  These  petitioners 
consisted  of  the  representatives  of  Gorges,  Mason,  Godfrey, 
and  others. 

In  their  petition   to   the  king  and  royal  parliament,  chey 

»  Farmer  saya  he  die<l  Nov.  16, 1679.        «  See  Williamson,  vol.  I.  p.  308. 


TBE  BtSTOST  OF  UAWE.  145 

thS  ?1    -J      '"tabitanto  to  submit  to  its  jurisdiction-   and 
tL2  M^-^huHett^  government  was  streiuousin^  per' 

ae  mw:l7H''"f.f  r  "'S""-  -^"'""ons  independent'^  of 
tne  crown,  and  hostile  to  its  interests.^ 

of  SI,!,r     .  ^™"''''  ''<»"■'  '•«'  incorporated  the  Isle 

of  Shoals  into  a  township  by  the  name  of  Appledore     ThooA 

IVed":  "'  "f"''  '""""'"'S  ">-"  -  thistgrntatioIXere 
Comi  i  »r  ''"  °'/''^^"  "P'esentatives  to  the  Geneml 
Com  ,  ,„  the  spring  of  1662  not  one  was  returned      M^nv 

MraTuLtr"  ""'  '^"""""'"^  ""'  admi:"-  of"2 
iviassacftusetts  government. 

bee^H^n  1'"^  ■'""'■""'  '°  ""'  ^'•°™"'  *•'«■•''  he  had  previously 

Claims.     He  even  appointed  several  men  to  office  and  in  Z. 
junction  with  ..hers,  transmitted  a  petition  to  tie  king  urZ" 

itudln^tw^r^ir™-^--  '»-''  of  Newl'nXa! 

Mli::us":tr'wiZrAmit"™fi  "^  ''™^™'  °''"'  -^ 

mander-in-chief  oT"  S  It t"  ^e  fSr'""  """- 
Wtioo  was  also  sent  to'  the  inha^I^^'oft  ctunTd  S 

>  Belknap's  History  New  Hampshire,  vol  L  n  300 

.  CoUectioa  of  State  Papers,  b/Thon'.aTBut^'lTson  p  m 

•  Hutchinsona  HLstory  of  New  En-la-l  n  "-         '  P'  ^ 


i 


146 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


shire,  as  the  portion  of  Maine  subject  to  Massachusetts  '^as 
then  called :  — 

"TO  THE  INHABITANTS  OP  YORKSHIRE. 

"You  and  every  of  you  are  required  in  his  Majesty's  name  to  yield 
faithful  and  true  obedience  to  the  goyernmeut  of  this  jurisdiction,  estab- 
lished y,mong  you,  according  to  your  covenant  articles,  until  his  Majesty's 
pleasure  be  further  known." 

A  court  was  also  instituted,  consisting  of  three  commission- 
ers, who  were  instructed  to  appoint  or  confirm  in  office  any  one 
in  whom  they  could  repose  confidence ;  and  also  to  punish 
every  one  who  pretended  to  hold  office  independently  of  the 
General  Court,  unless  he  derived  his  authority  directly  from 
the  king.* 

Several  persons  were  punished  by  this  court,  for  opposition 
to  the  Massachusetts  government.  Among  others  of  note  and 
influence  was  Rev.  Robert  Jordan,  the  Episcopal  clergyman  at 
Spurwink.  He  was  arraigned  by  the  grand  jury  for  saying, 
"  The  governor  of  Boston  is  a  rogue,  and  all  the  rest  thereof, 
rebels  and  traitors  against  the  king." « 

The  radical  difference  in  both  civil  and  religious  views,  be- 
tween the  tyrant  Charles  II.,  and  the  republican  General  Court 
of  Massachusetts,  could,  by  no  possibility,  be  compromised. 
While  maintaining  the  semblance  of  courtesy,  each  regarded 
the  other  with  distrust  and  alienation.  The  king  had  no  confi- 
dence in  the  loyalty  of  the  colonists,  and  they  knew  full  well 
that  he  was  eagerly  watching  for  opportunities  to  curtail  their 
privileges.  The  ear  of  the  king  was  always  on  the  alert,  to 
listen  to  charges  against  them,  while  he  was  generally  too  busy 
to  attend  to  any  defence  which  they  might  offer  against  their 
accusers. 

"  So  violent  and  successful  were  the  persecutions  against  the  rights  and 
claims  of  Massachusetts  in  particular,  that  she  not  only  feared  the  loss  of 
New  Hampshire  and  Maine,  but  began  to  be  apprehensive  of  having  her 
own  charter  taken  from  her.    Therefore  the  General  Court  appointed  a 

1  Records  of  Massachusetts  Government,  vol  ill.  p,  B9. 
«  History  of  Saco  and  Biddeford,  p.  tf2. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


147 


committee  of   both  branches,  to  keep  it  and  the  dupUcate  iu   separate 
places,  thought  by  them  most  safe  and  secure. "  i  i*    »^  ^°   »«Parate 

The  apprehensions  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts, 

On  the  nth  of  January,  1664,  a  royal  missive  to  the  General 
Court  was  granted  to  Gorges,  ordering  that  court  immediately 
to  restore  to  him  the  Province  of  Maine,  or  to  assign  the  reasons 
for  dechmng  to  do  so.  It  was  also  rumored,  at  the  same  time, 
that  several  armed  ships  were  about  to  cross  the  ocean  to  enforce 
the  authonty  of  the  king,  and  to  convey  to  New  England  a 
governor-general  of  his  appointment. 

The  exultant  court  of  Charles  IL,  then  triumphant  over  the 

r'  •  /.t^'°'''  ^''T'  '°^  '^^  opposition  to  royalty,  had 
conceived  the  project  of  forming  a  grand  empire,  to  conL  of 
twelve  provinces,  on  the  shores  of  the  New  World.  In  the 
accomplishment  of  this  plan,  the  king  intended  to  seize  thepos- 
sessions  of  the  Dutch  on  the  Hudson,  and  to  bring  all  the  east- 
ern provinces  of  New  England  under  his  complete  control.  In 
those  days  might  was  right.  On  the  12th  of  March,  1664, 
Charles  IL  granted  to  his  brother  James,  who  enjoyed  the  title 
and  emoluments  of  Duke  of  York  and  Albany,  all  the  territory 
held  by  the  Dutch  upon  the  River  Hudson  and  upon  Long 
Island.  The  vast  territory  was  called,  in  honor  of  the  Duke's 
Hinghsh  possessions.  New  York. 

The  duke  was  a  greedy  man.  Looking  eagerly  into  the 
ancient  patents  which  had  been  conferred  and  annulled,  he 
decided  that  there  was  no  valid  grant  for  the  territory  between 
the  River  St.  Croix  and  Pemaquid.  He  therefore  induced  h' s 
royal  brother  to  include  this  region,  of  thousands  of  acres,  in 
he  charter  conferred  upon  him.  The  boundaries  of  this  por- 
tion  of  his  grant  are  described  as  follows :  — 

"The  region  includes  all  that  part  of  the  mainland  of  New  England  be- 
gmmnyt  a  place  known  by  the  name  of  St.  Croix,  next  adJoinW  to  New 
England,  thence  extending  along  the  seacoast  to  a  ^lace  called  PemljuS! 

tory  of  Massachusetts,  p  2T0  ITd  PoHH.a "  a  "  ^' ,    '  f^l  *°  Hutchinson's  His- 
George  Chalmers.  p^4         '  ^*'^"°*^  ^'^^^  °*  *^«  ^"'t*^  Colonies,  b. 


148 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


and  up  the  river  thereof  to  its  farthest  head,  as  it  tends  to  the  northward; 
thence  up  the  nearest  to  the  River  Kennebec,  and  so  upward  to  the  shortest 
route  to  the  river  Canada  northward. "  » 

This  domain,  Inily  princely  in  extent  of  territory,  has  been 
denominated  "  The  Duke  of  York's  Property,"  "  The  Territory 
of  Sagadahoc,"  "New  Castle,"  and  "The  County  of  Corn- 
wall." *  Charles  II.,  by  thus  making  his  brother  James  the 
territorial  proprietor  of  such  immense  possessions  on  the  Hud- 
son, and  also  on  the  eastern  borders  of  New  England,  was 
shrewdly  preparing  the  way  for  constituting  him  viceroy  not 
only  of  those  realms,  but  of  all  the  domain  between. 

1  History  of  Connecticut,  by  Benjamin  Triiiiibull,  vol.  i.  p.  2fMi. 
«  Summary  of  British  Settlements  in  JTorth  America,  by  William  Douglas. 
▼oL  L  p.  881.  e  "°» 


CHAPTER  IX. 

POLITICAL  AGITATIONS. 

^'mSo^isIrtiTeG^^^^^^^^^  »-»--  the  Co.. 

Charles  n.-CharacrfGtr?ecl^^^^^^^ 
Commissioners-TreatvwlfhfhfT    7^         J      Petition -Efforts  of  the 

land-Nationa,  A^  Illf- Ba^^^^^^^^^  and  Eng. 

-French  Influence  over  the  IndZ^      a      T         ^^^^<^^^^  and  Career 

the  Duke  of  York  1  War  betweenT„;;^/^  Maine -Ambition  of 

scription  of  Maine.  ^°*'*°^  ^'^'^  Holland  -  Jocelyn's  De- 

T^f^^c^'  °^  ^''^l  ^^°  ««b8equently  became  King  James 

■^    the    Second,  retained   possession  of   his  Sagadahoc  ter! 

ntory  about  twenty-five  years.    The  duke  was  the  second    on 

ascendet'the  .h  '"  *'^  '"^'  ''  ^^«  ^'^^^^  Charles  II.,  he 
ascended  the  throne,  where  he  developed  the  character  of  a 
thorough  despot,  and  of  a  still  more  inexorable  fanatic  When 
subsequently  driven  from  the  throne  by  William,  Prince  of 
^^Z-^^Z'^--  '"^  American'possriofs 
The  region  of  Maine  made  but  slow  advancee  under  the  rale 

intense  Catl^olio,  and,  when  he  attained  the  crown    was  un 
weaned  .n  his  endeavors  to  bring  England  ag7n  LndTr  th; 
ecdesmsfoal  sway  of  the  i«pal  court.    The  Prolf  stanHeligiou! 
pnnejples  of  the  Dutch,  who  were  established  at  the  m"u  h  of 

o!ofc;atd '^th  h'  ^*™"^'^ !"'  ''""""' ""O  -tag^r:     He 
CO  operated  with  his  unscrupulous  brother  Charles  II  in  send 

ing  an  expedition  of  four  frigates  and  about  three  Ldr'd" 
armed  men,  to  wrest  the  colony  at  Manhattan  from  the  Duth 
The  feeble  garrison  was  quite  unable  to  resist  so  fo  midable  a 
lorce,  and  nrnmnflTr  oar;f„i-x_j       r,,, .  Auimmaoie  a 

^-      ^-„   .-ap.tuia^cu.      xni5  was  on  the  27th  of 

149 


150 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


August,  1664.»  Col.  Richard  Nichols,  who  with  Sir  Robert 
Carr  had  command  of  the  expedition,  took  the  control  of  affairs 
as  deputy  governor,  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  was 
authorized  to  exercise  the  same  command  over  the  territory  of 
his  royal  highness  at  Sagadahoc.^ 

A  commission  of  four  men  was  appointed  to  investigate  the 
state  of  affairs  in  the  New  England  Colonies.  Col.  Nichols  was 
at  the  head  of  the  commission.  He  was  a  frank,  genial,  cour- 
teous man ;  and,  though  of  course  an  advocate  for  royalty  and 
episcopacy,  his  integrity  and  candor  rendered  him  generally 
popular. 

Sir  Robert  Carr,  the  next  on  the  list,  was  a  man  of  violent 
temper,  who  hated  both  republicanism  and  any  dissent  from  the 
principles  of  the  Church  of  England.  His  haughty  and  domi- 
neering spirit  quite  unfitted  him  for  the  delicate  task  in  which 
he  was  employed.  It  is  said  that  he  prepared  a  report  filled 
with  the  most  bitter  accusations  against  the  colonists.  Fortu- 
nately he  died  soon  after  his  return,  and  his  philippics  perished 
with  him. 

George  Cartwright,  another  of  the  commissioners,  was  en- 
dowed with  strong  mental  powers;  but  he  was  unamiable, 
morose,  and  suspicious  in  his  disposition.  He  was  a  bitter  foe 
of  the  republican  colonists,  and  drew  up  a  very  unfriendly 
report  to  be  presented  to  the  king.  Here  again  God  seemed  to 
interpose  in  behalf  of  the  feeble  settlements.  He  was  captured 
by  a  Dutch  ship,  on  his  way  home,  and  lost  his  report  beyond 
recovery. 


1  We  read  with  some  surprise  the  following  statement  from  Hubbard:  "Di- 
vine  Providence  seemed  to  favor  the  design,  in  that  so  considerable  a  place  of 
strength,  and  so  easUy  tenable,  was  so  speedily  reduced  without  the  loss  of  one 
man's  life;  and,  without  doubt,  the  right  and  title  of  the  English  to  the  place  was 
beyond  all  exception,  which  possibly  made  the  former  possessors  unwilling  to 
dispute  it  with  their  swords'  point."  — General  History  of  New  England,  by  Rev. 
William  Hubbard,  p.  578. 

»  "  The  county  (of  Cornwall)  embraced  all  the  settlements  between  the  Ken- 
nebec and  Penobscot  Rivers,  over  which  the  governor  of  New  York  exercised 
almost  despotic  jurisdiction.  Quite  a  large  commerce  was  carried  on  with 
Europe,  and  the  other  English  colonies  on  the  coast,  of  which  masts,  lumber, 
furs,  and  fish  constituted  tiie  principal  exports,  and  for  which  wines,  liquors' 
coin,  and  various  kinds  of  merchandise,  were  received  in  exchange."  —  ITta ' 
tory  cf  Laws,  Ac,  of  Maine,  by  WiUiam  Willis,  p.  83. 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE.  151 

Samuel  Maverick  was  the  fourth  of  the  commissioners.     He 
s  represented  as  a  stubborn  royalist,  implacable  in  his  hostility 
to  the  political  and  religious  principles  of  the  Pilgrims.     He 
had  for  some  time  resided  in  Massachusetts,  and  was  gi-ievously 
offended  because  the  high  merit,  which  he  supposed  himself  to 
possess,  was  not  recognized  by  the  people  in  conferring  upon 
him  offices  of  dignity  and  influence.     He  was  apparently  watch- 
ing  for  an  opportunity  to  strike  the  colonists  a  deadly  blow.i 
tnln  ""•.       ^PP,°^"^°»«»t  of    these  commissioners  was   made 
^own    It  created  great  anxiety.     Early  in  May,  1665.  they 
entered   upon  their  task  at  Boston.^    As  was  io  have  been 

twP^nlwlT   T"^^^  "'°''   ^  downright    altercation    be- 
tween  that  body  of  royalists  and  the  republican  General  Court 
Ihe  commissioners  demanded  an  answer  to  the  question,  "  Do 
you  acknowledge  the  royal  commission  to  be  of  full  force  for  all 
the  purposes  contained  in  it  ?  " 

The  court  evaded  a  categorical  answer,  saying,  "The  civil 
power  18  conferred  upon  this  colony  through  his  Maiestv's 
charter.     We  prefer  to  abide  by  that."  "^     ^ 

The  dispute  ran  high,  and  even  violence  was  menaced.  The 
comniissioners    unsustained  by  any  popular  support,  dissolved 

tZTTX  ""f  f ''°^^  "^"^"^^  ''  ^^«  gubernatorial  cha'r 
m  New  York  and  the  others  departed  to  investigate  affairs  in 
New  Hampshire  and  Maine.  They,  however,  threw  a  parting 
shot  upon  the  government  of  Massachusetts,  threatening  them 
with  the  doom  due  to  rebels  and  traitors. 

The  events  which  we  are  now  recording  took  place,  it  will 
be  perceived  before  the  death  of  Charles  H.  and  the  a  cession 
of  James.     When  Charles  had  become  firmly  seated  upon  hi^ 

CourT'n?'M '"  .'  ^'''''  denouncing  the  act  of  the  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts  in  extending  its  jurisdiction  over  the 
Piovince  ol  Maine,  and  demanding  its  restoration  to  the  heirs  of 

uL^^MZ^^t^l^TT^'X'''''''^^^''^'''  *«  Hutchinson's  History  of 
bS^mL^^':;:''  ^'^'-^^"^  ^'  '"^^  commissioners.  WiUia^so'^f 

Of  Portlana,  I    miUal  S^!  J    51  "^       ^^"^  "^^^^r^ceot  that  colony. -/T.Vo., 


152 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Ferdinando  Gorges.  The  General  Court  replied,  defending  ita 
course  in  receiving  the  provincials  of  Maine  under  the  govern- 
ment of  Massachusetts.  They  also  boldly  declared  that  they 
would  not  surrender  the  jurisdiction  of  Maine  until  the  king's 
will  were  more  distinctly  known. 

The  three  commissioners  who  repaired  to  Maine  commenced 
operations  in  the  settlements  at  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua 
River.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  royalists  here,  who  were 
desirous  of  being  taken  again  under  the  government  of  the 
king.^ 

In  a  letter  from  Charles  II.  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Province 
of  Maine,  dated  June  11,  1664,  he  wrote, — 

"  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges,  the  grandfather  of  the  present  proprietor,  and 
a  generous  promoter  of  foreign  plantations,  obtained  a  royal  charter  of 
Maine,  and  expended  in  settling  it  more  than  twenty  thousand  pounds;  and 
yet  was  wholly  prevented  from  reaping  tho  fruits  of  his  expenditures  and 
labors  by  the  unhappy  civil  wars,  wherein  he,  though  advanced  in  age, 
bravely  engaged  in  his  master's  service. 

"In  the  mean  time  his  opponents,  intoxicated  with  success,  as  we  under- 
stand, and  deaf  to  the  voice  of  justice,  have  given  countenance  to  measures 
by  which  the  provincials  have  been  brought  within  the  jui-ifdiction  of  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay,  and  the  proprietary  deprived  of  all  the  issu^o  and  profits  of 
his  property." 

In  conclusion,  this  royal  mandate  of  the  11th  of  June,  1664, 
said,  — 

"  Since  the  restoration,  he,  by  his  commissioners,  has  endeavored  to 
repossess  himself  of  his  province,  and,  two  years  since,  proclaimed  his 
Majesty  king,  established  courts,  and  gave  to  many  th§  oaths  of  allegiance. 
But  the  government  of  Massachusetts  prohibited  all  further  proceedings  of 
those  commissioners  till  they  had  orders  from  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
kingdom. 

"  We  have  therefore  taken  the  whole  matter  into  our  princely  considera- 
tion, and  have  thought  fit  to  signify  our  pleasure  in  behalf  of  Ferdinando 
Gorges  the  present  proprietor,  and  do  require  you  to  make  restitution  of 
the  Province  to  him  or  his  commissioners,  and  deliver  him  or  them  peaceable 
possession  thereof;  or  otherwise,  without  delay,  show  us  reasons  to  the  con- 
trary."" 

1  "  Now,  it  must  be  minded  that,  as  to  the  Province  of  Maine,  there  were  two 
sorte  that  pretended  a  right  to  the  government  thereof;  one  that  derived  their 
power  from  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges'  title,  the  other  derived  theirs  from  the  Gen- 
eral Court  of  Massachusetts."  —  Hubbard's  Historf/  of  New  England,  p.  684. 

a  Htitchiii".ri!iV  Collectiuns  of  State  Papers,  p.  .SSfi. 


THE  HIBTORr  OF  MAINE. 


108 


The  oommissionars  visited  Kittery  in  June,  1665.  The  peo- 
ple were  assembled,  and  were  informed  that  if  they  persisted 
in  adhering  to  the  government  f  Massachusetts  they  would  be 
punished  with  the  utmost  severity,  as  rebels  and  traitors.  We 
have  not  space  to  enter  into  the  details  of  the  measures  which 
were  adopted.  They  were  arbitrary  and  tumultuous.  It  was 
a  reign  of  terror.  Oaths  were  administered,  and  many  were 
induced  to  petition  the  king  for  a  new  colony  charter.  But 
still  the  measures  of  the  commissioners  were  exceedingly  un- 
popular. The  people  generally  were  well  satisfied  with  the 
virtual  republic  which  they  enjoyed.  The  commissioners  seemed 
disposed  to  gather  all  power  into  their  own  hands. 

George  Cleaves  of  Casco,  whose  name  is  sometimes  spelled 
Cleve  and  sometimes  Cleeves,  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
men  of  these  days.  He  was  an  ardent  royalist,  and  was  warmly 
attached  to  the  Church  of  England.  But  he  was  very  ambi- 
tious and  self-reliant.  The  despotic  course  pursued  by  the 
royal  commissioners  was  offensive  to  him.  He  enjoyed  a  higher 
degree  of  liberty  under  the  institutions  of  Massachusetts,  than 
under  the  iron  rule  which  the  commissioners  would  introduce. 
He  therefore,  with  twenty-one  of  his  neighbors,  drew  up  a 
petition  to  the  king.  This  petition  is  one  of  the  most  import- 
ant documents  of  the  times,  as  it  throws  so  much  light  upon 
the  political  aspect  of  affairs.  The  petition,  slightly  abbrevi- 
ated, was  as  follows :  — 

"  The  humble  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Casco,  in  the  State  of  Maine, 
represents,  agreeably  to  your  Majesty's  command,  our  several  reasons  why 
we  could  not  submit  to  Mr.  Gorges. 

''But  first,  to  our  most  gracious  father,  we,  your  humble  subjects,  in- 
habitmg  a  wilderness  in  the  northern  parts  of  your  dominions,  would  return 
our  most  dutiful  and  hearty  thanks  for  your  princely  care  of  us  and  of  our 
children.  Required  by  your  Majesty  to  render  submission  to  Mr.  Gorges 
or  assign  our  reasons  for  declining  it,  we  are  frank  to  say  we  have  no  dis- 
position  to  oppose  his  government,  whenever  our  obedience  is  expressly  com- 
manded  by  your  Majesty. 

"In  our  union,  however,  with  Massachusetts,  we  all  pledged  our  alle- 
giance to  her  government,  till  our  royal  sovereign  should  otherwise  determine 
and  direct.  Yet  we  have  found  by  happy  experience,  as  your  Majesty  very 
justly  intimates,  that  her  maxims  of  policy,  prudence,  and  moderation,  and 
her  principles  of  amity  and  justice,  so  much  the  causes  of  her  own  eminence 


151 


TUE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


have,  since  our  short  connection  with  her,  been  the  means  of  our  content- 
ment and  prosperity,  far  beyond  what  we  have  enjoyed  during  any  former 
period  of  the  same  length. 

"  The  commissioners,  nevertheless,  forbid  our  submission  to  her  govern- 
ment and  likewise  to  Mr.  Gorges.  And  in  return  she  (the  Ma88;^husett» 
government)  withholds  our  allegiance  from  them.  So  imhappily  situated, 
we  humbly  entreat  your  Majesty  not  to  believe  us  disloyal  because  our 
names  are  not  found  on  the  petition  for  a  change  of  government  or  rulers, 
aa  we  have  no  just  complaint  either  against  Mr.  Gorges  or  Massachusetts, 
being  taught  by  the  best  authority,  that  '  obedience  is  better  than  sacriflce,' 
and  contentment  is  our  duty  wherever  the  allotment  of  God  in  his  provi- 
dence, and  your  Majesty's  commands,  shall  cast  us. 

«•  Threatened  as  we  are  for  not  signing  the  petition,  and  submitting  to 
the  commissioners,  we  beseech  your  Majesty  to  take  these  reasons  and  our 
case  under  your  fatherly  eye,  and  give  us  directions;  for  it  is  the  design  of 
our  hearts  to  act  correctly  and  uprightly,  and  we  would  rather  submit  to 
whatever  government  may  be  appointed  over  us,  than  to  contend  or  direct 
what  it  should  be. "  * 

The  commissioners  spent  about  two  months,  mostly  at  York, 
Scarborough,  and  Falmouth,  making  energetic  efforts  to  revo- 
lutionize the  government.  They  then  followed  along  the  coast 
to  the  Duke  of  York's  territory  at  Sagadahoc,  or,  as  it  wa» 
then  frequently  called,  New  Castle.  About  this  time  several 
Dutch  families  moved  from  New  York,  and  settled  upon  the 
banks  of  the  Sheepscot  and  the  Damariscotta.* 

The  commissioners  opened  their  court  on  the  5th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1665,  at  the  house  of  John  Mason,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Sheepscot  River.  They  organized  the  territory  into  a  county, 
which  they  called  Cornwall.  The  inhabitants  were  summoned 
to  appear  and  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  new  govern- 
ment. But  twenty-nine  presented  themselves.  The  county  of 
Cornwall  was  limited  on  the  west,  by  the  Sagadahoc.  It,  how- 
everj  included  twenty  or  thirty  families  upon  the  island. 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  decision  of  all  subsequent  jurists, 
that  the  commissioners  proved  themselves  utterly  incapable  of 

1  Hutchinson's  Historical  Collections,  p.  397. 

2  "The government  under  the  duke  had  never  much  energy  or  force  In  it,  and 
would  very  soon  have  been  subverted  by  the  Massachusetts,  if  the  measures  pur- 
sued In  England  in  order  to  take  away  the  colony  charter,  and  the  hostility  of 
the  natives  in  this  country,  had  not  preventetl  it. ' '  --  History  of  the  District  of  Ma  ine, 
by  James  Sullivan,  p.  29. 


THE  niBTORT  OP  MAINE. 


185 


discharging  the  duties  which  had  devolved  upon  them.  No 
provision  was  made  for  the  enactment  of  laws,  for  the  iraposi« 
tion  of  taxes,  for  education  or  religious  instruction,  or  for  the 
public  defence. 

It  is  supposed  that  there  were  about  three  hundred  families 
within  the  county,  and  some  of  the  settlements  were  forty  years 
old.  The  commissioners  spoke  of  the  settlers  in  very  contempt- 
uous terms,  underrating  their  numbers,  and  describing  them  as 
mere  fishermen  and  fugitives  from  justice,  who  were  entirely 
unaccustomed  to  the  restraints  of  government.* 

lu  justice  to  the  commissioners,  it  should  be  stated  that  they 
entered  into  a  very  judicious  treaty  with  the  chiefs  of  the 
neighboring  tribes.  The  Indians  had  been  atrociously  wronged 
by  vagabond  and  unprincipled  white  men.  It  could  not  be  con- 
cealed that  these  wrongs  were  goading  them  into  a  hostile 
attitude. 

It  was  agreed  between  the  commissioners  and  some  of  the 
Indian  chiefs,  that,  if  any  wrong  were  inflicted  upon  an  Indian 
by  one  of  the  English,  the  Indian,  instead  of  taking  private 
revenge,  should  appeal  to  the  courts  for  redress.  If,  on  the 
other  hand,  an  Englishman  were  injured  or  defrauded  by  an 
Indian,  he  should  make  his  appeal  to  the  Indian  chiefs. 

Contemptuously  as  the  commissioners  spoke  of  the  settlers  in 
the  region  ,  f  the  "^'^gadahoc,  they  gave  a  very  glowing  account 
"of  the  attractiveiieao  of  the  country .^ 

"  The  islands,  harbors,  and  outlets  upon  the  coast,"  they  wrote,  "are 
richly  stored  with  great  fish,  oysters,  and  lobsters.  The  interior  abounds 
with  ducks,  geese,  deer,  and  other  game,  and  also  with  strawberries,  rasp- 
berries, gooseberries,  barberries,  and  several  sorts  of  bilberries,  in  their  sea- 


^  This  report  maybe  found  in  full  in  Thomaa  Hutchinson's  Collection  of  State 
Papers,  p.  424. 

2  "  lu  its  native  wildness  the  peninsula  of  Sagadahoc  must  have  been  a  spot 
of  singular  beauty.  An  open  forest  of  mighty  towering  pines  below,  and  hilltops 
of  overgi'own  beech  and  oak  above,  and  on  either  side  fringed  with  a  clear,  broad, 
and  grassy  margin,  terminating  in  a  sand  beach,  sweeping  from  point  to  point  on 
its  landward  and  sheltered  northern  point,  must  have  commended  the  place  as  a 
favorite  camping-ground  to  the  savages,  as  well  as  a  site  to  the  earliest  English 
colonists  as  a  home.  The  indications  are  decisive  that  this  peninsula  was  ever  a 
place  of  distinguished  attraction  to  the  natives." — Address  of  Rufus  K.  S&voall, 
Esq.,  at  the  Popham  Celebration,  p.  137 


106 


TnE  inaTORY  of  maine. 


■on.    We  found  aluo  many  kinds  of  oaks  and  plnea,  and  the  chestnut  and 
walnut  trees,  sometimes  for  four  or  five  miles  together."  » 

Soon  public  attention  was  absorbed  on  both  sides  of  the  At- 
lantic, by  the  war  which  broke  out  between  France  and  Eng- 
land. Very  extensive  preparationb  were  made  by  the  British 
cabinet,  for  the  conquest  of  Canada.'  Massachusetts  was  not 
reluctant  to  engage  in  this  enterprise.  The  militia  o'  Massachu- 
setts, at  this  time,  amounted  to  four  thousand  foot  and  four 
hundred  horse.  The  enlistments  for  the  conquest  of  Canada 
were  not  made  until  October.  It  was  then  deemed  too  late  in 
the  season  to  attempt  a  northern  campaign.  The  war  was  short, 
and  mostly  waged  in  other  regions.  But,  in  its  results,  it  was 
very  unsatisfactory  to  New  England.  The  treaty  of  Breda  was 
concluded  on  the  31st  of  July,  1667,  with  both  France  and 
Holland.  England  received  the  Dutch  colony  on  the  Hudson, 
but  resigned  Nova  Scotia  to  the  French. 

The  English  Protestants'  brought  with  them  to  this  ^qw 
World  a  very  strong  antipathy  to  that  bigoted  Catholicism 
which  had  been  the  bane  of  the  Old  World.  They  did  not  love 
their  French  neighbors,  and  they  were  greatly  annoyed  at  the 
recession  of  the  Acadian  provinces  to  France.  The  troubled 
times  very  speedily  obliterated  all  the  traces  which  the  king's 
commissioners  had  left  behind  them. 

England  was  far  away.  The  attention  of  her  contemptible 
king,  Charles  II.,  to  the  remote  colonies,  was  spasmodic  and 
transient.  It  was  to  Massachusetts  alone,  that  the  widely  scat- 
tered inhabitants  of  Maine  could  look  fqr  sympathy  in  time  of 
peace,  or  for  aid  in  war. 

There  were  no  bonds  of  union  between  the  Catholic  French 
of  Nova  Scotia,  and  the  Puritans  of  New  England.  They  dif- 
fered in  language,  religion,  and  in  all  the  habits  of  social  life. 
Those  very  traits  of  character,  which  admirably  adapted  the 
French  to  win  the  confidence  of  the  Indians,  excited  the  repug- 
nance of  the  English.  The  pageantry  of  their  religious  wor- 
ship, which  the  strong-minded  Puritans  regarded  as  senseless 

1  Hutcliinson's  Collections  of  State  Papers. 

a  Ainerfcan  Annals,  by  Abiel  Holmes,  vol.  I  p.  489. 


THE  BIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


119 


mummery,  was  well  adapted  to  catch  the  attention  of  the  child 
ish  Bavages.  The  Frenchman  would  build  him  a  wigwam, 
marry  an  Indian  wife,  perhaps  two  or  three  ;  adopt  the  dress 
of  the  tribe,  and,  in  all  the  habits  of  his  life,  step  at  least  half 
way  down  to  meet  the  savage.  Thus  the  French  and  the  Indi- 
ans lived  far  more  harmoniously  together  than  did  the  Indiana 
and  the  English. 

In  illustration  of  these  views  we  may  mention  the  case  of 
Jean  Vincent,  Baron  of  St.  Castin  or  Casteins,  as  some  spell 
thd  name.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  wealth  and  rank,  born  in 
B^arn,  at  the  foot  of  the  Pyrenees.  Naturally  fond  of  adven- 
ture, ha  had  entered  the  army,  and  had  served  with  distinction 
against  the  Turks.*  When  about  twenty-one  years  of  age  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  joined  a  tribe  of  Indians  called  the 
Abenakis.^  He  lived  with  them  twenty  years,  adopting  their 
dress,  and  apparently  conforming  in  all  respects  to  their  savage 
habits.  But  his  superior  intelligence,  his  tact,  and  his  adapta- 
tion of  himself  to  all  their  prejudices,  so  won  their  regard,  that 
they  considered  him  as  more  than  human,  or,  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  his  biographer,  "  aomme  leur  Dieu  tutelaire." 

He  acquired  their  language  perfectly,  and  married  the  daugh- 
ter of  Madokawando,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  chiefs. 
Some  say  that,  according  to  the  Indian  custom,  he  took  several 
wives.  He  seemed  perfectly  contented  with  his  lot,  declaring 
that  he  greatly  preferred  the  forests  of  Acadia  to  the  valley  of 
Pyrenees,  where  he  was  born.     His  French  biographer  writes,  — 


•'  For  the  first  years  of  his  abode  with  them,  he  lived  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  secure  their  esteem  to  a  higher  degree  than  words  can  desciibe.  They 
made  him  their  grand  chief,  which  constituted  him  sovereign  of  the  nation. 
By  degrees  he  accumulated  a  fortune,  which  any  other  person  would  have 
appropriated  to  his  own  benefit,  by  retii '  j'  w^  .  two  or  three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  in  solid  gold  coin. 

"  Nevertheless  Casteins  made  no  other  use  of  this  wealth  than  to  buy 
merchandise,  which  he  presented  as  gifts  to  his  brother  savages,  who,  return- 
ing from  their  hunting  expeditions,  presented  him  with  beaver  skins  of  triple 

1  Martin's  History  of  France,  vol.  1.  p.  263. 

3  We  give  the  name  as  spelled  by  the  French.  It  was  often  spelled  by  the 
English,  Abonaquis.  It  ia  said  that  they  belonged  to  broken  tribes  who  had  with' 
drawn  from  Saco,  the  Androscoggin,  and  the  Kennebec  to  Canada. 


158 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


their  vaue.  m  governor-generals  of  Canada  courted  his  favor,  and  the 
rulers  of  New  England  feared  him.  He  had  many  daughters.  They  were 
dowri^^         ""^  ""^'""^  *°  Frenchmen,  and  each  one  received  ample 

,yl,^rTr  '^tT'*  .^''  "''^^'  ^y  *^^'  ^«  ^^«^«*J  *°  *«a«h  the  savagea 
that  God  does  not  love  mconstant  people.^  It  is  said  that  he  endeavored  to 
convert  these  poor  natives,  but.  that  his  words  were  without  eifoct.  It  was 
then  of  no  avail  that  the  Jesuits  preached  to  them  the  Christian  religion! 
But  these  lathers  were  not  discouraged,  for  they  considered  the  baptism  of  a 
single  dying  child  worth  many  times  more  than  the  pain  and  the  suffering 
of  dwellmg  with  this  people. "  a  * 

The  Indians,  who  were  under  the  influence  of  the  French 
readily  imbibed  their  dislike  for  the  English.  There  was,  con^ 
sequently,  -„  y-  mn^  animosity  between  the  eastern  and  the 
western  tnbe«.  There  were  no  very  definite  boundary  limits  to 
most  of  the  territories  portioned  out  in  those  days.  In  the  ces- 
sion of  "all  Acadia"  to  France,  mention  was  made  of  St 
Johns,  Port  Royal,  La  Heye,  Cape  Sable,  and  Pentagoet,  as 
the  French  then  called  Penobscot.'  The  French  took  possession 
of  the  whole  country,  from  Cape  Breton  to  Penobscot,  .  od 
erected  stockaded  forts  at  the  most  important  points. 

The  political  affairs  of  Maine  fell  into  lamentable  confusion. 
^y  the  action  of  the  commissioners,  the  Province  was  sundered 

«  This  certainly  seetns  to  indicate  that  Casteins  had  but  one  wife;  but  Drake 
wntes.  "  We  do  not  apprehend  that  this  amounts  to  a  ^M  thutTe  1  aTl  Lt  oS 
wife.  His  no  -angingMs  wife  might  be  true  in  the  plural,  if  he  had  several  m 
some  authors  s^te." -DraAe'.  History  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  104 
Mermirs  de  V  Am^rique  par  Lahontan,  1.  ii.  p.  29. 
"  Tlie  site  of  the  town  of  Castine  is  one  of  as  much  natural  beautv  as  exiab. 
anywhere  in  New  England.  With  its  beauty  is  connected  a  hlor of  iSt  capt 
*ity  and  entire  security  for  ships  of  any  supposable  size.  This  town  w^^Se  K 
l^n^the  State  that  received  permanent  settlers,  on  tlie  eastern  shoTeo7penobsc"t 

"It  had  been  occupied  in  the  seventeenth  century  by  Baron  Casti-^e  a  Franoh 
gent  eman,  through  thirty  or  forty  years,  as  a  temporary  place  oft t^  Jth  I, 
dians    by  exchanging  some  cloths  and  trinkets  of  small  vahie   for  beaver  «Ld 

1".^..''^"°"°'°'  *^^  ^"^^"«^^  ^«  '^''^^^^  vervricCnk  left  the  f^t 
which  had  been  erected  by  him  at  large  expense,  and  which  had  protected  him 
agamst  hostile  attacks  of  Indians  when  drunk,  as  well  as  agahist  plunderers  of 
his  goods  and  moneys  at  other  times." -^«,<on/o/  the  Law  the  Cnurun^  *V 
Lawyers  of  Maine,  by  William  Willis,  p.  189.  '  '"'  ""^  '** 

thelT^l^fT-"*^''"^:  *''"*•  ^^'^^  "''™  ^  *  '"«^*  discrepancy  in  the  statement  of 
the  detaJ  8  of  this  man's  career,  there  is  none  as  to  the  prominent  facts. 
•  British  Eniphw  in  America,  voL  i.  p.  22. 


THE  niaiOHY  OF  MAINE. 


159 


from  its  connection  with  Massachusetts.  And  then,  without 
any  sufficient  government  being  organized,  it  was  virtually 
abandoned.  Gorges  became  interested  in  other  matters,  and 
the  people  generally  doubted  the  validity  of  the  justices  ap- 
pomted  by  the  commissioners.  For  three  years  no  representative 
from  Mame  appeared  in  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts. 
Ihe  General  Court  did  not  hesitate  to  denounce  the  action  of 
the  commissioners  in  the  following  severe  terms :  — 

• « WhUe  the  ir  bitants  were  choosing  to  be  under  our  charter,  they  were 
deprived  of  their  .uvaluable  privileges,  and  thrown  into  the  depths  of  dis- 
order  by  oommissioners  who  were  rather  the  destroyers  than  promoters  of 
his  Majesty  s  interests  and  the  people's  good;  men  who  have  cast  maUgnant 
aspersions  on  our  government,  and  have  been  the  authors  of  transactions 
tor  which  they  ..ad,  in  fact,  no  lawful  authority." 

Under  these  circumstances  the  General  Court  issued  a  procla- 
mation, declaring,  that,  as  the  people  of  Maine  were  in  peril  of 
being  reduced  to  a  confused  state  of  anarchy,  the  court  counted 
It  Its  duty  to  God  to  extend  its  jurisdiction  over  the  count-  of 
York  as  formerly.  The .  transfer  was  easily  made.  The'ut 
court  held  under  the  authority  of  the  king's  commissioners  Sct 
in  Saco  oa  the  29th  of  May,  1668.^ 

Col.  Richard  Nichols,  governor  at  New  York,  was  greatly 
disturbed  by  these  proceedings.  It  will  be  remembered  that  he 
had  been  appomted  deputy  governor  at  New  York  and  Saga-^a- 
hoc,  under  His  Royal  Highness  the  Duke  of  York.  He  wrote 
an  angry  letter  to  the  governor  of  Massachusetts.  The  follow- 
ing extracts  will  show  its  spirit : 

'« I  am  not  a  Utile  surprised  to  find  that  you  are  preparing  to  usurp  again 
the  govemmen  of  Maine.  You  possess  power  enough,  M  is  true,  to  compel 
a  submission  of  your  weaker  neighbors.  And  you  may  feel  in  duty  boand 
to  re-establish  your  courts  of  law,  in  answer  to  the  petition  of  a  few  unquiet 
spirits,  and  under  a  plausible  pretence  of  restcrmg  order  and  peace.  But  I 
ought  not  to  be  silent  in  view  of  measures  so  directly  contrary  to  the  injunc- 
tions  of  his  Majesty's  letter.  "  "ijuuc 

"  Do  you  presume  so  much  upou  his  forbearance  and  clemency  aa  to  sup. 

1  Williamson's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  1.  432. 

«' Saco  may  have  contained  a  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants  when  the  first 

r„^:;:;ori7s^"'  -"^  ^'•^  -^  °^  "^^-^  --  ^^^^  withjiriiit.- . 


IGO 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


pose  that  he  will  never  stretch  forth  an  arm  of  power  to  defend  his  subjects 
from  usurpation?  Unable  myself  to  visit  you  before  I  leave  these  parts,  I 
must  express  to  you  my  fearful  apprehensions,  that  if  you  compel  an  altera- 
tion of  government  in  the  Province  of  Maine,  by  subverting  the  present 
establishments,  you  may,  and  probably  will,  be  the  cause  of  bitter  quarrels 
and  even  bloodshed.  For  it  is  a  dictate  of  reason,  it  is  nature's  law,  for  men 
to  defend  their  rights  against  all  officious  invaders.* 

This  letter  produced  no  change  in  the  measures  adopted  by 
the  Government.2  Four  commissioners  were  sent  to  restore  the 
County  of  Yorkshire  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts.*  A 
military  escort  accompanied  them  to  York,  which  place  they 
reached  on  the  6th  of  July,  1668.  Here  some  officers,  who  had 
been  appointed  by  the  king's  commissioners,  met  them  with  a 
remonstrance.  They  stated  that  there  were  not  more  than  four 
or  five  men  in  a  town,  of  any  character,  who  were  in  favor  of  a 
return  to  Ma.vo;rchusetts,  and  that  they  were  resolved  to  main- 
tain the  authority  with  which  they  had  been  invested. 

The  Massachusetts  commissioners,  who,  according  to  some 
accounts,  "  entered  the  Province  in  a  hostile  manner,  with  horse 
and  foot,"  replied,  — 

"All  your  papers  and  powers  our  Cteneral  Court  ha\e  too  thoroughly 
considered  to  require  any  re-:erusal  by  \\a.  Those  under  whom  you  aspire 
to  act,  never  lawfully  possessed  the  authority  which  they  assumed  to  exer- 
cise. His  Majesty  directed  Massachusetts  either  to  resign  the  Province  to 
Mr.  Gorges,  or  to  assign  to  him  c^r  objections.  It  is  well  known  we  have 
chosen  the  latter  alternative. 

"The  cause  is  still  under  his  royal  consideration.  And  when  have  we 
been  required  by  our  common  sovereign,  to  surrender  the  administration  of 
justice  to  your  commissioners  ?  By  the  returns  we  shall  soon  ascertain  what 
is  the  public  sentunent;  and,  according  to  our  ability,  we  shall  discharge 
the  trust  committed  to  us.  If  we  are  opposed,  we  shall  advise  upon  meas- 
xires  which  will  not  be  inefficient." 

The  commissioners  repaired  to  the  meeting-house,  where  they 
read  their  commission  to  the  assembled  people,  and  explained 

I  Hutcliinsou's  History  of  Massachusetts,  voL  L  p.  212 ;  Chalmers'  Political  An- 
nals, p.  386. 

a  See  the  letter  in  full  iu  Thomas  Hutchinson's  Oolleotion  of  State  Papers,  p.  484. 

«  The  couimissionera  appointed  were  Major  John  Leverett  and  Mr.  Edward 
Ting,  with  Mr.  Kichard  AValdron  and  Major  Eobert  Pike  as  assistants. —flw6- 
dard's  New  England,  p.  693. 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  igj 

the  purposes  of  their  visit.     There  was  somp  «l,vi,f 

s.^~-^i-':Ji■^LX-s..f~ 
in  the  afternoon  they  re-appeared,  and  again  entered  infn 
conference  with  the  commissioners.  They  requested  nr^ 
to  read  a  letter  from  the  king,  dated  April  10  lfifi/t'°;! 
the  king  gave  directions  to  hfs  comLtio  1  ^  r;ratl 
were  to  do  untU  further  commands  we^^r  ceU  W  ^S^ 
Ihe  commissioners  replied,—  ™* 

My  aware  of  tte  itreIulS»  ^^^      ^T;''"^;  "°  *""  «■"''''■    We  are 
and  plantation,,  taWKbv^h!  TT"'*  "-.""Shout  the,o  eastern  town, 

and  we  fear  not  to  compaXra^r^f  '  ^-  '^'■'l''f  "Shls  of  goTCrnment; 
of  thee  who  can  n^ZJZZ^^TZ. "     °'"""°^  ""^  *»  ''"^' 

The  governmeut  was  then  orffanize,!  »n.l  *i.„  ■    . 

returned  to  Massachusetts  ^i&lZtZt  *''^;°"'""™r' 

May,  16B9,  three  deputies  from  Maiue  took  then- sel  sin  fh! 

11 


162 


TEk  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


But  in  this  world  there  is  no  end  to  troubles.  Scarcely  was 
this  question  settled,  when  a  new  and  portentous  difficulty 
arose.  The  French,  being  in  full  possession  of  Nova  Scotia, 
and  the  territory  now  of  Maine  as  far  as  the  Penobscot,  laid 
claun  to  the  region  as  far  west  as  the  Kennebec  River.  It  was 
suspected  that  the  Duke  of  York,  who  was  an  intense  Catholic, 
and  who  detested  the  political  and  religious  principles  of  the 
Puritans,  favored  these  claims.^ 

It  was  seriously  apprehended  in  Massachusetts,  that  the  crown 
might  sell  the  entire  eastern  patent  to  the  French.  A  new  sur- 
vey was  ordered.  The  most  popular  measures  were  adopted  to 
win  the  cordial  support  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Province. 
The  surveyors  reported  that  a  line  running  due  east  from  the 
most  northern  source  of  the  Merrimac,  to  which,  by  the  patent, 
three  miles  still  farther  north  was  to  be  added,  would  cross  the 
Kennebec  or  Sagadahoc  near  where  Bath  now  is,  and  that  it 
would  strike  White  Island  in  Penobscot  Bay. 

But  again  war  was  declared  between  England  and  Holland. 
The  two  angry  nations  were  clutching  each  other  by  the  throat. 
The  Dutch,  in  July,  1673,  recovered  the  fort  at  New  York. 
With  renewed  activity,  and  with  boldness  ever  characteristic  of 
Massachusetts,  the  government  re-organized  the  militia,  and 
endeavored,  in  all  ways,  to  consolidate  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Province,  that  they  might  not  be  sold  to  Papal  France. 

In  1674  a  new  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  between  England 
and  Holland,  and  New  York  was  restored  to  the  British  crown. 
Again  prosperity  seemed  to  dawn  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
Maine,  scattered  along  the  seacoast  from  ^Piscataqua  to  the 
Penobscot.  The  French  occupied  the  eastern  side  of  the  Pen- 
obscot Bay.  The  English,  in  large  numbers,  had  reared  their 
dwellings,  and  were  improving  their  lands,  upon  the  western 
banks  of  the  bay,  and  westerly  to  the  River  Sagadahoc. 

Capt.  John  Jocelyn,  in  the  year  1670,  visited  the  Province  of 
Maine.  The  next  j'ear  he  published  a  record  of  his  voyage.  It 
contains  by  far  the  most  minute  account  of  the  condition  of  the 
Province  at  that  time,  which  has  descended  to  us.  From  this 
narrative  we  make  the  following  interesting  extracts  r^ — 

'  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  441.  "  See  Jocelyn'a  Voyages,  pp.  200-212. 


I 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


163 


"  Towns  there  are  not  many  in  this  Province.  Kittery,  not  fai  from  Pas- 
cataway,  is  the  most  populous;  next  to  that,  eastward,  is  Gorgeana(York).i 
Farther  to  the  eastward  is  the  town  of  Wells.  Cape  Porpus  is  eastward  of 
that,  where  there  is  a  town  of  the  same  name,  the  houses  scatteringly  built.* 
All  these  towns  have  store  of  salt  and  fresh  marsh,  with  arable  land,  and  all 
well  stocked  with  cattle. 

"  About  eight  or  nine  miles  to  the  eastward  of  Cape  Porpua  is  Winter 
Harbor,  a  noted  place  for  fishers.*  Here  they  have  many  stages.  Saco 
adjoins  to  this,  and  both  make  one  scattering  town  of  large  extent,  well 
stored  with  cattle,  arable  land  and  marshes,  and  a  saw-mill.  Six  miles  to 
the  eastward  of  Saco,  and  forty  miles  from  Gorgeana,  is  seated  the  town  of 
Black  Point  (Scarborough),*  It  consists  of  about  fifty  dwelling-houses, 
and  a  magazine,  scatteringly  built.  They  have  store  of  neat  (cattle)  and 
horses  ;  of  sheep  near  upon  seven  or  eight  hundred  ;  much  arable  and  marsh 
salt  and  fresh,  and  a  corn-mill.  To  the  southward  of  the  point,  upon  which 
are  stages  for  fishermen,  lie  two  small  islands.  Beyond  the  point,  north- 
eastward, runs  the  Kiver  Spurwink.    ' 

"  Four  miles  from  Black  Point,  and  one  mile  from  Spurwink  River,  east- 
ward, lieth  Richmond  Island.  It  is  three  miles  in  circumference,  and  hath 
a  passable  and  gravelly  ford  on  the  north  side,  between  the  main  and  the 
sea  at  low  water.  Here  are  found  excellent  whetstones,  and  here,  likewise, 
are  stages  for  fishermen. 

"  Nine  miles  eastward  of  Black  Point  lieth  scatteringly  the  town  of  Cas- 
co,6  upon  a  large  bay.  It  is  stored  with  cattle,  sheep,  swine,  abundance  of 
marsh  and  arable  land,  a  corn-mill  or  two,  with  stages  for  fishermen.     Far- 

»  "Actuated  by  these  generous  designs,  he  (Gorges)  determined  now  to  erect 
the  borough  into  a  city,  and  accordingly  executed  another  and  more  perfect  char- 
ter, March  1, 1642,  by  which  he  incorporated  a  territory  of  twenty-one  square 
miles,  and  the  inhabitants  upon  it,  into  a  body  politic,  which  he,  evidently  in  com- 
plunent  to  his  own  name,  called  Gorgeana.  The  whole  lay  in  the  form  of  a  paral- 
lelogram, on  the  northern  side  of  the  River  Agamenticus,  extending  up  seven 
miles  from  its  mouth,  and  one  league  upon  the  seashore."—  TFiHjanwon's  HUtory 
of  Maine,  vol.  i.  p.  288. 

2  Cape  Porpoise,  or  Porpus  as  Jocelyn  spells  it,  was  but  two  and  a  half  miles 
from  Wells.  —  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  26. 

8  The  celebrated  place  called  Winter  Harbor,  so  called  after  an  ancient  inhabit- 
ant there  by  the  name  of  Winter,  is  at  the  head  of  the  tide,  six  miles  below  Saco 
Bridge.    See  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  21. 

*  "After  passing  the  plantations  of  Kittery,  York,  Wells,  and  Saco,  we  come 
to  Scarborough,  which  has  never  changed  its  name  since  its  first  incorporation  It 
extends  towards  the  east,  six  miles  in  width  on  the  coast,  to  the  mouth  of  Spur- 
wmk  Biver,  which  seems  to  cut  off,  as  it  bounds,  the  eastwardly  corner  of  the 
town.    This  part  is  called  Black  Point."  —  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  29. 

6  What  is  now  called  Portland  was  first  called  Cleeves*  Neck,  then  Munjoy 
Neck,  and  sometimes  Casco,  or  Old  Casco,  from  its  position  on  Casco  Bay.  The 
Hist  settlement  was  made  by  George  Cleeves  and  Richard  Tucker,  who  settled 
near  the  mouth  of  Spurwink  River,  in  the  yeai-  1C30.  -  Hittory  of  New  England  hv 
Coolidye  and  Man^eld,  vol.  i.  p.  267. 


I 


164 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


ther  eastward  is  the  town  of  Kennebec,  seated  upon  the  river.  Farther  ye« 
eastward  is  Sagadahoc,  where  there  are  many  houses  scattering,  and  all 
along  stages  for  fishermen.  These,  too,  are  stored  with  cattle  and  corn 
land. 

"  From  Sagadahoc  to  Nova  Scotia,  is  called  the  Duke  of  York's  Prov- 
ince. Here  are  Pemaquid,  Montinecus,  Mohegan,  Capeanawhagen,  where 
Capt.  Smith  fished  for  whales;  all  are  filled  with  dwelling-houses  and  stages 
for  fishermen,  and  have  plenty  of  cattle,  and  arable  land,  and  marshes. 

««  The  people  of  the  Province  of  Maine  may  be  divided  into  magistrates, 
husbandmen  or  planters,  and  fishermen.  Of  the  magistrates,  some  be  royal- 
ists, the  rest  perverse  spirits.  The  like  are  the  planters  and  fishers.  They 
have  a  custom  of  taking  tobacco,  sleeping  at  noon,  sitting  long  at  meals, 
sometimes  four  times  a  day,  and  now  and  then  drinking  a  dram.  The  fisher- 
men take  yearly  upon  the  coast  many  hundred  quintals  of  cod,  hake,  had- 
dock, and  pollock. "  ^ 

Capt.  Jocelyn  speaks  of  the  inhabitants  as  indolent,  and  many 
of  them  as  very  intemperate.  Having  earned  a  little  money, 
they  eagerly  spent  it  for  strong,  drink,  and  could  not  be  again 
induced  to  work  as  hired  laborers  until  their  money  was  ex- 
pended. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  whole  white  population  scattered 
along  the  coast  of  Maine,  between  Piscataqua  and  the  Penob- 
scot, amounted  to  between  five  and  six  thousand  souls.^  Chal- 
mers, in  his  Political  Annals,  states  that  the  population  of  all 
New  England  comprised  about  a  hundred  and  twenty  thousand 
souls.  Hutchinson  places  the  number  as  high  as  a  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand.  There  were,  in  the  year  1675,  a  hundred  and 
fifty-six  families  east  of  the  Sagadahoc,  and  about  a  hundred 
fishing  vessels.^ 

In  the  year  1675,  the  deplorable  war  commenced  between  the 
Indians  under  King  Philip  and  the  Plymouth  Colony,  —  a  war 
fraught  with  woes  beyond  all  computation.     Through  the  im- 

»  Mr.  WiUiamson  spells  the  name  Joscelyn,  and  says  that  his  account  ends  in 
1673.  Mr.  WiUiam  Willis,  one  of  the  most  accurate  of  men,  spells  the  name  in  his 
History  of  Portland  as  we  have  given  it  in  the  text.  He  says  that  the  period  to 
which  Jocelyn'3  narrative  relates  is  Ui70,  and  that  Jocelyn  returned  to  England 
In  1671.  —  History  of  Portland  by  WUliam  Willis,  p.  882. 

2  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  447.  He  estimates  that  the  whole  Pi-ovince,  including 
the  Duke  of  York's  domain,  could  furnish  about  a  thousand  soldiers. 

8  Statement  to  the  MassauJiusotts  Assistants  in  1675,  by  Svlvanus  Davis.  Mr. 
WUUs  esthnates  that  there  were  then  four  hundred  famiUes  in  Falmouth. 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


16A 


prudence  uf  well-meaning  aen,  and  the  wickedness  of  the  reck- 
less anfi  the  vile,  the  Indians  of  Maine  were  soon  induced  to 
unite  with  those  of  Massachusetts  in  the  attempt  to  extermi- 
nate thR  white  man.  Before  entering  upon  the  details  of  the 
dreadful  war  which  ensued,  we  will  give  a  brief  description  of 
the  Indians  of  Maine. 

The  generic  name,  given  to  the  several  tribes  between  the 
Penobscot  River  and  the  vicinity  of  the  Piscataqua  was  Aben- 
agues.^  The  Indians,  dwelling  in  the  valley  of  the  Penobscot, 
are  called  by  most  of  the  ancient  historians,  Tarratines.  Though 
the  Abenagues  and  the  Tarratines  had  lived  on  friendly  terms 
until  al>out  the  year  1616,  a  deadly  war  then  broke  out  between 
them.  Each  tribe  of  the  Abenagues  had  its  chiefs,  though 
there  was  one  sovereign  chief,  called  the  Bashaba,  who  seemed 
to  wield  a  sort  of  imperial  authoiity  over  the  confederate 
tribes.' 

His  principal  abode  was  near  Pemaquid ;  his  extended  do- 
mains were  called  Moasham,8  and  he  could  lead  to  "the  field 
several  thousand  warriors.  There  were  four  tribes  of  the 
Abenagues :  — 

1.  The  Sokokis,  dwelling  in  the  valley  of  the  Saco  River. 

2.  The  Anasagunticooks,*  a  powerful  tribe,  who  claimed  the 
territory  and  waters  of  the  Androscoggin,  from  Merrymeeting 
Bay  upwards,  and  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sagadahoc  to  the 
sea.  Their  headquarters  were  at  Brunswick  Falls,  called  then 
Pejepscot.  This  spot  became  the  central  rendezvous,  where  the 
eastern  and  western  tribes  held  their  councils,  and  conspired  for 
the  extermination  of  the  English.  They  had  a  large  fort  near 
the  falls.  By  fishing,  hunting,  and  the  culture  of  their  fields, 
they  obtained  an  ample  supply  of  food.  But  the  early  injuries 
they  had  received  from  the  whites  had  so  exasperated  them, 

'  There  is  much  diversity  witli  regard  to  the  spelling  of  these  Indian  names  by 
the  annalists  of  those  days.  The  Abenagnes  are  called  Abenakis,  Wabenakies. 
and  Wapanachkis.  There  is  the  same  diversity  in  the  spelling  of  the  names  of 
nearly  all  the  tribes. 

a  See  Smith,  Purchas,  Winthrop,  Prince,  and  Hubbard 

8  Gorges-  Description  of  Ne^v  England,  pp.  17,  M.  Belknap  calls  his  domains 
Mavooshen,  Biog.  149.    Purchas  writes  it  Maivooshen,  p.  939 

m.lfl^^Tl^^T^^'^^''^  *^^  "^"^  °*  ^re«afirun«fcoo*«;  Douglass,  Armae. 
flrwnficooAa,- Hubbard,  ^niera«co«?j?an;  Smith,  .ifs.'srascoi^en 


166 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


that  they  were  never  cordially  friendly,  and  at  the  first  sound 
of  war  they  eagerly  grasped  both  gun  and  tomahawk. 

3.  The  Canibas.  This  tribe  was  found  quite  numerous  upon 
the  Kennebec  when  the  river  was  first  discovered.  It  seems  to 
have  been  a  conglomerate  tribe,  consisting  of  several  branches 
or  families.  The  chief  sachem,  Kennebis,  occupied  a  delightful 
situation  on  Swan  Island.  The  territory  claimed  by  this  tribe 
extended  from  the  sources  of  the  Kennebec  River  to  Morry  • 
meeting  Bay,  and  included  the  islands  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Sagadahoc  River  to  the  sea.^ 

One  of  the  favorite  locations  of  this  tribe  was  at  Norridge- 
wock,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Sandy  River.  Here  the  first 
French  missionary,  Gabriel  Dreuillettes,  was  stationed.  It  seems 
difficult  to  imagine  any  motive  sufficiently  powerful  to  induce 
a  gentleman  of  refinement  and  culture  to  spend  his  days  in  the 
wigwams  of  the  savages,  endeavoring  to  teach  them  the  religion 
of  Jesus,  but  a  sincere  desire  to  serve  God. 

4.  The  Wawenocks  "^  possessed  the  region  east  of  the  Sagada- 
hoc, as  far  as  St.  Georges  River.  Their  territory  was  small  in 
its  limits,  and  the  tribe  not  large.  The  headquarters  of  the 
tribe  were  on  the  westerly  side  of  the  River  Sheepscot,  near  the 
falls.  Hubbard,  in  his  History  of  the  Indian  Wars,  speaks  of 
them  as  the  Sheepscot  Indians.^  The  personal  appearance  and 
habits  of  these  Indians  are  th'^s  described  by  Capt.  Smith:  — 

« '  The  name  of  Wawenock  signifies  fearing  nothing.  They  were  of  comely 
proportion,  and  quite  athletic.  They  would  row  their  canoes  faster  with  five 
paddles  than  my  own  men  could  their  boats  with  eight  oars.  They  had  no 
beards,  and  thought  oiu:s  counterfeits.  Their  women,  though  of  lower  stat- 
ure, were  f  cjshy  and  well  favored;  all  habited  in  skins  like  the  men."  * 

There  was  another  powerful  tribe,  called  the  Etechemins, 
occupying  the  region  between  the  Penobscot  and  the  St.  Johns, 

»  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  466.  Drake  writes,  "Kennebis  was  a  sachem  from 
whom  it  has  been  supposed  that  the  Kennebec  Kiver  derives  its  name.  But 
whether  there  were  a  line  of  sagamores  of  this  name  from  whom  the  river  was 
80  called,  or  whether  sachems  were  so  called  from  their  living  at  a  certain  place 
upon  it,  Is  wacertain."  —  Book  of  the  Indians,  b.  iii.  p.  98. 

2  This  name  is  also  \»'ritten  by  different  annalists,  Waweenecks,  Weweenocks, 
and  Wewenocks. 

«  Hubbard,  p.  301. 

*  Journal  of  Thomas  Smith,  p.  19. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


167 


including  the  valleys  of  both  those  rivers.  There  is  some  diver, 
sity  of  statement  in  reference  to  the  definite  boundaries  of  this 
tribe.  Williamson  represents  them  as  composed  of  three  tribes, 
—  the  Tarratines,  the  Openangos,  and  the  Marechites.  They 
could  bring  six  thousand  warriors  into  the  field.  The  Abena- 
gues  he  estimates  could  bring  five  thousand.  This  would  fur- 
nish them  with  an  army  of  eleven  thousand  men.*  Probably 
all  were  accustomed  to  the  musket,  and  were  good  marksmen. 
They  could  obtain  ample  supplies  of  ammunition  from  the 
French.  This  was  a  terrific  power  to  be  brought  against  the 
settlers  scattered  through  the  forests  of  Maine. 

The  above  estimate  of  the  number  of  Indian  warriors  is  given 
for  the  year  1615,  when  it  is  supposed  that  the  whole  Indian 
population  of  Maine  amounted  to  about  thirty-seven  thousand. 

>  Williamson,  toL  L  p.  488. 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE  FIRST  INDIAN  WAR. 


The  Indians  —Their  Manners  and  Customs  —  Fondness  for  Intoxicating  Drlnki 
—Scenes  In  the  Wigwam —The  Catholic  Missionaries— Adventures  ol 
Rasle  —  Indian  Intelligence  — Population  — Philip's  War  — Commencement 
of  Hostilities  —  Awful  Scenes  of  Blood  and  Woe  —  The  Truce  —  Efforts  of 
Mr.  Shurte  —  The  War  Renewed  —  The  Ambuscades  —  Folly  of  the  English 
—  Desperation  of  the  Indians. 

TT  is  important  to  perpetuatje  a  correct  idea  of  the  numbers,- 
-L  condition,  and  character  of  the  native  inhabitants  of  Maine. 
They  have  nearly  all  passed  away.    The  few  remnants  which 
remain  have  lost  all  resemblance,  in  character  and  habits  of  life, 
to  their  ancestors  of  two  centuries  ago. 

The  Indians  of  Maine  were  of  ordinary  stature,  very  erect, 
and  of  great  muscular  strength.  Their  hair  was  long,  very 
black,  and  coarse.  Their  complexion  was  peculiar,  with  a  red- 
dish tinge,  which,  at  a  glance,  enabled  one  to  distinguish  them 
from  the  negro,  the  mulatto,  or  the  most  dark-skinned  European. 
Though,  in  the  South,  a  corpulent  Indian  was  sometimes  found, 
it  is  said  that  none  such  were  seen  in  Maine,  neither  was  a  de- 
formed Indian,  or  one  dwarfed^or  cross-eyed,  ever  met  with.^ 

The  men  were  beardless.  But,  strange  as  it :  lay  appear,  the 
question  is  not  yet  settled  whether  this  were  a  provision  of 
nature  or  the  effect  of  art.  Smith,  in  his  history,  says  that  they 
had  no  beards ;  others  have  said  that  the  young  men  plucked 
out  their  beards  until  the  roots  were  entirely  destroyed.  Still 
others  say  that  the  Indians  anointed  their  bodies  with  an  unc- 
tion, as  a  protection  against  flies  and  vermin,  which  prevented 
the  growth  of  the  beard. 


168 


1  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  484. 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


169 


Trained  from  infancy  to  acute  perceptions,  the  Indian  could 
traverse  the  most  dense  and  intricate  forests  without  the  slight- 
est fear  of  losing  his  way.     Notwithstanding  their  hardships 
many  of  them  lived  to  extreme  old  age.  ' 

^  Both  men  and  women  were  fond  of  gay  colore  in  their  cloth- 
ing. Their  dress  consisted  of  furs  in  winter,  and  in  summer  of 
skins  from  which  the  fur  had  been  removed.  Many  were  very 
slightly  clad  in  summer,  and  not  unfrequently  one  was  met 
entirely  naked.  They  were  all  exceedingly  fond  of  ornaments, 
and  decorated  their  persons  with  gorgeously  colored  plumes, 
shells,  beads,  and  wings.  An  Indian  chieftain,  in  full  dress, 
would  outshine  any  of  his  brother  lords  in  Windsor  or  Ver- 
sailles. 

Among  themselves  the  Indians  were  remarkably  honest. 
They  had  no  locks,  bolts,  or  bars.  In  trade  they  were  fair,  and 
often  expressed  astonishment  at  the  mean  tricks  to  which  the 
white  trader  would  resort.  They  were  proverbial  for  their  hos- 
pitality, being  ever  ready  to  share  their  last  morsel  of  food  with 
the  stranger  who  entered  the  wigwam.  They  were  grave  and 
taciturn  in  their  ordinary  demeanor,  and  seemed  never  to  forget 
a  kindness  or  an  injury. 

With  no  ambition  to  acquire  property,  no  stimulus  to  exertion, 
with  nothing  to  rouse  their  energies  but  the  chase  and  the  occa- 
sional excitements  of  war,  they  were  generally  indolent.  With 
but  little  thought  of  the  morrow,  they  were  content  with  the 
food  and  clothing  of  to-day.  The  atrocities  of  Weymouth, 
Harlow,  and  Smith,  in  kidnapping  the  Indians,  the  cheating 
practised  by  unprincipled  traders,  and  the  infamous  conduct 
of  getting  chieftains  drunk,  and  then  obtaining  a  deed  of  exten- 
sive territories  for  mere  trifles,  were  sufficient  to  rouse  the 
indignation  of  the  most  patient  people.  The  Indians  have  had 
no  historians.  But,  according  to  the  testimony  of  white  men, 
their  wrongs  were  unendurable,  and  their  savage  natures  were' 
goaded,  by  the  crimes  of  individual  white  men,  to  the  most 
dreadful  acts  of  retaliation. 

Their  thirst  for  ardent  spirits  seemed  to  be  an  irrepressible 
appetite.  They  would  drink  the  strongest  rum,  unmixed,  until 
roused  to  the  most  dreadful  degree  of  frenzy.     They  then 


170 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


appeared  more  like  demons  than  men,  and  were  capable  of  any 
crime. 

The  Indians  generally  lived  in  small  villages.  The  writer 
spent  many  an  hour,  sixty  years  ago,  in  the  wigwams  of  the 
Penobscot  Indians.  To  his  boyish  eye,  In  a  cold  winter  day, 
the  interior  often  presented  an  aspect  peculiarly  attractive.  The 
hut,  built  of  boughs  of  trees  and  of  bark,  was  always  in  the 
majestic  forest.  It  was  sometimes  circular,  enclosing  a  space 
about  fifteen  feet  in  diameter.  Again,  it  was  oblong  in  shape, 
and  about  thirty  fe^t  in  length  and  ten  in  width. 

The  floor  was  always  carpeted  with  the  green  and  fragrant 
twigs  of  the  hemlock.  The  walls  generally  afforded  ample  pro- 
tection against  both  wind  and  rain.  From  a  bright  fire,  burn- 
ing in  the  centre,  the  smoke  would  generally  rise  through  a  hole 
in  the  roof,  leaving  the  atmosphere  within  the  hut  quite  pure. 
The  indolent  men  would  be  lying  around,  sleeping  or  dozing. 
The  women  were  always  busy.  They  sat  easily  upon  the  floor, 
braiding  their  baskets,  and  chatting  in  low,  musical,  monotonous 
tones,  with  rarely  a  smile. 

As  one  day  1  came  near  sitting  down  upon  an  apparent 
cushion,  which  proved  to  be  a  cradle  in  which  a  babe  enveloped 
in  furs  was  sleeping,  it  excited  a  general  smile  from  the  squaws 
seated  around,  but  not  a  sound  was  heard.  I  always  took  with 
me,  as  a  gif ,,  some  tobacco,  which  insured  me  a  warm  welcome. 
The  emotions  excited  in  my  young  mind  during  those  silent 
hours,  in  the  wigwam  of  the  friendly  Indian,  can  never  be 
forgotten. 

Nothing  like  what  we  call  furniture  was  ever  seen  in  the  hut. 
There  was  neither  chair,  stool,  nor  table.  They  had  no  regular 
meals.  They  ate  when  hungry.  One  great  and  revolting  de- 
fect of  the  Indians  was  their  utter  want  of  cleanliness.  Appar- 
ently they  never  washed  even  their  faces  or  hands,  or  their 
clothes  and  cooking  utensils.  But,  to  my  eye,  the  interior  of 
their  cabins  always  appeared  neat  and  alluring.  Still  in  a  dark, 
easterly  storm,  with  drenching  rain  and  moaning  wind,  filling 
the  cabin  with  suffocating  smoke,  the  interior  must  have  been 
extremely  dismal. 

The  young  girls  were  graceful  in  figure,  and  often  possessed 


/ 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE, 


171 


..leasing  countenances.  Had  they  been  cleanly,  many  of  them 
would  have  been  deemed  quite  beautiful.  All  domestic  and 
farm  labor  devolved  upon  the  women.  They  planted  and  hoed 
the  corn,  gathered  in  the  harvest,  took  oare  of  the  fish  and 
game,  and  cooked  the  food. 

Christianity  was  first  taught  the  Indians  by  the  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries from  France.     As  early  as  1608,  Biard  and  Masse  com- 
menced  their  self-denying  labors   at    Mt.    Desert.*      Gabriel 
Dreuillettes  was  thr  first  missionary  who  settled  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Kennebec.     In  1646  he  built  a  chapel  at  Old  Point, 
NoP-idgewock,  and  for  many  years  taught  the  Indians,  win- 
ning their  highest  regard.     In  the  French  war  of  1674,  the 
British  laid  his  station  in  ashes.     Upon  the  return  of  peace,  the 
Massachusetts  government  sent  workmen  to  replace  the  rude 
chapel  which  was  destroyed,  by  another,  far  better,  of  hewn 
timber.     Dreuillettes  was  a  highly  educated  and  eloquent  man. 
Dreuillettes,  or  Dreuelettes  as  some  spell  the  name,  was  suc- 
ceeded in  tno  mission  at  Norridgewock  by  two  brothers,  Vin- 
cent and  Jaques  Bigot.     Thay  were  of  illustrious  lineage,  being 
the  sous  of  Baron  Bigot  of  France.     These  young  men,  cradled 
in  ancestral  hai's,  and  educated  in  the  universities  of  Europe, 
forsook  all  the  attracions  of  cultured  society,  luxurious  horaesl 
and  ambitious  aspirations,  to  spend  their  whole  lives  in  savage 
wilds,  toiling  to  lift  up  the  ignorant  and  the  degraded  to  the 
knowledge  of  salvation  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 

They  lived  in  a  state  of  comfort  but  little  above  that  of  the 
savages  around  them ;  with  a  wigwam  of  bark  for  their  home, 
with  a  bear-skin  for  a  bed,  and  with  only  such  food  as  the 
coarse  fare  of  the  Indians  could  supply .3 

Sebastian  Rasle  8  succeeded  the  Bigots  in  the  mission  to  Nor- 
ridgewock.    He  was  a  gentleman  by  birth,  education,  and  cul- 

»  This  was  in  1609.  It  is  supposed  the  place  of  residence  selected  by  the  mis- 
sionar ies  was  on  the  western  side  of  the  Pool.  Here  they  constructed  a  habita- 
tlon,  planted  a  garden,  and  dwelt  five  yeai-s.  With  never-failing  zeal  they  entered 
s^^wn^^  lifelong  work  of  teaching  the  natives  the  principles  of  Christianity. 
Bee  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  206. 

2  The  History  of  Norridgewock,  py  William  Allen,  p.  28. 
8  The  name  is  variously  spelled,  Easle,  Kasles,  Ealle,  Rale.    We  g..  -  it  as  in. 
scribed  upon  his  monument  by  Bishop  Fenwick. 


172 


THE  II I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


tare.  Religious  zeal  incited  him,  also,  to  leave  the  endearments 
of  -^  home  of  opulence  and  congenial  companionship,  and  to 
spend  thirty-five  years  in  the  then  unbroken  wilderness  of 
Maine.  His  remarkable  character  deserves  more  particular 
notice. 

Ho  sailed  from  Rochelle,  in  France,  in  the  summer  of  1689, 
and,  after  a  tiiroe-months'  voyage,  landed  at  Quebec.  Having  a 
well-disciplined  mind,  and  writing  Latin  with  classical  purity, 
he  found  but  little  diflBculty  in  acquiring  the  simjjle  languages 
of  the  natives.  After  spending  several  months  in  the  diligent 
study  of  the  Indian  tongue,  ho  was  first  stationed  in  a  village 
of  the  Alienagues  nation,  in  Maine.  Here  he  found  about  two 
hundred  Indians,  wljo,  from  the  labors  of  previous  missionaries, 
were  professing  Christianity. 

After  spending  two  years  in  this  village,  he  received  an  order 
from  his  ecclesiastical  superiors,  to  go  far  away  into  the  depths 
of  the  savage  wilderness,  to  a  mission  among  the  Indians  of 
Illinois.  Without  a  murmur,  in  August  of  1G91,  he  prepared 
for  this  journey  of  two  thousand  four  hundred  miles,  through 
trackless  wilds,  towards  the  setting  sun.  Repairing  to  Quebec, 
he  there,  with  a  few  companions  and  Indian  guides,  set  out  on 
his  loi.g  and  perilous  journe}',  in  the  birch  canoe. 

They  ascended  the  winding  and  rapid  current  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence ;  carried  their  canoe  iind  its  freight  on  their  shoulders, 
arouml  the  portages  by  which  they  passed  the  rapids.  After 
traversing  the  whole  length  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  threading  the 
forest  around  Niagara  FalU,„they  again  latinched  their  canoe 
upon  Lake  Erie.  Weary  days  and  flights  of  storm  and  sun- 
shine passed  as  they  paddled  along  the  shores  of  this  inland 
sea,  through  the  straits,  expanding  in  their  centre  into  Lake 
Clair,  traversed  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  crossed  the  portage 
to  the  upper  waters  of  the  Illinois  River,  and  descended  that 
stream,  to  their  destination  amidst  the  thronged  villages  of  the 
Indians,  situated  ujion  its  banks. 

Every  night  they  lan<led,  built  their  camp-fire,  cooked  their 
supper,  performed  their  devotions,  while  the  silent  forest  echoed 
their  vespers  ;  and,  commending  themselves  to  God,  they  enjoyed 
that  sleep  which  ho  gives  to  his    beloved.      Often,  when  it 


7'ffE  HiaTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


173 


rained,  the  upturned  canoe  afforded  them  their  only  shelter.  Fre- 
quently they  suffered  from  hunger,  and  eagerly  devoured  the 
lichens  which  grew  upon  the  rocks.  Here  Sebastian  Rasle 
spent  two  years  in  teaching  the  Indians.  He  was  then  recalled 
by  his  superior,  and  stationed  at  Norridgewock  on  the  Ken- 
nebec. We  shall  often  have  occasion  to  refer  to  this  extraordi- 
nary man  in  the  progress  of  this  narrative.* 

It  can  hardly  be  said  that  the  Indians  had  any  '^eligious  opin- 
ions. There  were  vaguely  floating  through  their  minds  some 
shadowy  and  inoperative  ideas  of  a  Great  Spirit,  and  of  hunt- 
ing-grounds beyond  the  grave.  They  had  perhaps  a  more  prac- 
tical faith  in  an  evil  spirit  than  in  God.  The  machinations  of 
this  malignant  demon  they  greatly  feared.  The  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries gave  them  much  more  elevated  views  of  religion  and 
of  personal  responsibility.  Their  teachings  put  an  end  to  the 
horrid  orgies  of  the  Indian  pow-wows.^ 

Their  government  was  of  the  simplest  form.  The  authority 
of  the  chiefs  seems  to  have  been  mainly  that  which  superior 
intelligence  and  energy  give.  It  was  like  the  power  which  is 
exerted  over  a  New  England  village  by  a  prominent  man  of 
education,  wealth,  and  enterprise.  When  the  first  settlers 
reached  the  coast  of  Maine,  there  was  one  sovereign  chief  of 
the  Wawenoc  tribe.  These  Indians  occupied  the  valleys  of  the 
Sheepscot,  the  Pemaquid,  and  the  St.  George's  Rivers. 

The  Bashaba,  as  lie  was  called,  extended  his  nominal  sway 
over  the  western  tribes  as  far  as  Agamenticus  or  York.^    Each 

»  "  Father  Rasle  lived  among  this  people  over  thirty  years.  His  influence  was 
very  extensive,  and  deserved,  not  less  for  his  zeal  and  entire  devotion  to  their  ser- 
vice, than  for  his  learning  and  talents.  The  French  writers  place  him  among  the 
saints,  %vhilo  his  English  contemporaries  give  him  a  place  the  very  opposite."  — 
History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  34!). 

a  Williamson  writes,  "  So  often  had  his  (Kasle's)  malignity,  pride,  and  officious 
interference  awakened  among  the  Indians  new  complaints,  that  the  people  of  the 
Province,  for  good  reasons,  regarded  him  '  among  the  most  infamous  villains,'  and 
would  have  given  more  for  his  liernl  tlian  for  a  hundred  scalps  of  the  natives."  — 
History  of  Maine,  vol.  il.  p.  10(i. 

Williamson  also  writes,  "He  was  a  man  of  talents  and  learning;  and  hy  his 
condescending  manners,  religious  zeal,  and  untiring  perseverance,  he  had  gi-eatly 
endeared  himself  to  the  tribe.  He  had  resided  with  them,  and  been  their  tutelar 
father,  tldrty  years,  and  many  of  them  he  had  taught  to  read  and  write."  —//(s- 
tory  of  Maine,  vol.  il.  p.  102. 

»  Mr.  Williamson  suggests  that  the  Camden  Hills  were  the  probable  boundary 
of  B^shaba's  dominions  on  the  east.  —Vol.  i.  p.  95. 


174 


THE  BI8T0RY  OF  MAINE. 


tribe  had  a  head  chief  called  a  sagamore,  and  subordinate 
chiefs,  like  the  secondarj'^  nobility  in  Europe,  called  sachems. 
The  chiefs  were  chosen  by  the  men  of  the  tribe,  and  the  office 
continued  for  life.  The  successful  candidate  was  often  inducted 
into  office  with  great  barbaric  pomp.  Representatives  from 
other  tribes  generally  assisted  at  the  ceremonies. 

For  fifty  years  the  planters  and  traders  of  Maine  carried  on 
their  intercourse  with  the  Indians  without  any  open  outbreak. 
The  Indians  were  often  subjected  to  great  wrongs  at  the  hands 
of  individuals,  and  bitter  complaints  were  not  infrequent.  As 
the  English  grew  more  powerful,  they  became  more  arrogant 
and  domineering ;  while  the  natives,  crushed  and  irritated,  were 
ready  to  embrace  any  opportunity  for  direful  revenge.  But 
tliere  were  some  truly  good  men  among  the  English  adventur- 
ers, who  treated  the  Indians  with  humanity,  and  won  their  af- 
fection. Thus  there  were  two  parties  among  the  Indians, — the 
friendly  and  the  unfriendlyi;  but  the  latter,  in  numbers,  far 
exceeded  the  former. 

Many  of  the  Indians  possessed  much  higher  intelligence,  and 
had  clearer  conceptions  of  their  wrongs,  than  has  generally  been 
supposed.  They  often  argued  their  cause  against  the  white 
men  with  great  shrewdness  and  invincible  logic.  Their  amuse- 
ments consisted  mainly  of  foot-races,  wrestling,  pitching  quoits, 
and  bat  and  ball.  They  had  no  schools,  and  had  no  idea  whatever 
of  reading,  writing,  or  arithmetic.  Heckewelder  says,  that,  in 
their  first  endeavor  to  pronounce  the  word  '■'•English^''  they 
uttered  the  sound  "  Yengees,"  which  is  the  origin  of  the  term 
Yankees.*  * 

King  Philip's  war  broke  out  in  June,  1675.2  There  were 
then,  according  to  the  usual  estimate,  thirteen  settlements,  more 
or  less  scattered,  in  Maine.^    The  English  population  of  Maine 

1  Writings  as  to  the  Indians,  by  John  Heckewelder. 

2  "This  war  has  been  ascribed  to  various  causes.  It  has  been  represented, 
•witii  some  spleen  as  well  as  truth,  that  the  English  were  the  aggressors.  The 
generous  treatment  and  welcome  they  first  received  from  the  natives  hail  been 
repaid,  as  accusers  say,  by  kidnapping  their  benefactors,  by  disturbing  tl  eir  iiunt- 
iiig  grounds  and  fisheries,  and  by  a  shameful  mismanagement  of  the  fur  and  pel- 
try trade."  —  Williamaon,  vol.  1.  p.  517 ;  Mather's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  493. 

s  These  were,  1,  Kittery;  2,  York;  3,  Wells;  4,  Cape  Porpoise;  5,  Saco;  6,^  ^ar- 
borough;  7,  Falmouth;  8,  Tejepscot;  9,  Sagadahoc  and  Kennebec;  10,  Sheepscot; 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


176 


was  about  six  thousand  souls.  They  were  widely  dispersed  in 
many  small  villages  and  lonely  farmhouses,  and  almost  in  the 
worst  possible  condition  for  either  aggressive  or  deiensive  war. 

The  excitement  rapidly  spread  among  the  tribes,  from  Plym- 
outh to  Sagadahoc.  The  hunting  gun  had  become  to  the  In- 
dian almost  necessary  to  his  existence.  The  General  Court 
sent  commissioners,  with  full  military  powers,  to  Maine,  who 
were  directed  to  see  that  neither  guns,  powder,  knives,  nor  lead, 
should  be  sold  to  any  Indian  who  was  not  fully  known  to  be 
friendly.  They  were  also  ordered,  as  far  as  possible,  to  disf  v.ti 
the  Indians,  by  taking  from  t»>em  their  guns  and  knives.* 

A  more  oppressive  measure  of  hostility  could  hardly  have 
been  inflicted  upon  the  Indians.  Just  across  the  line,  in  Can- 
ada and  Nova  Scotia,  the  French  sold  every  thing  lo  the  Indi- 
ans just  as  freely  as  to  one  another.  They  had  no  more  fear  of 
a  rising  of  the  natives  against  them,  than  they  had  of  an  insur- 
rection on  the  part  of  their  own  brethren.  Under  these  circum- 
stances we  can  easily  imagine  which  party  would  secure  the 
sympathies  of  the  Indians. 

There  was  quite  a  renowned  Indian  chief,  by  the  name  of 
Squando,  who  resided  near  Saco.  He  had  been  a  friend  of  the 
white  men.  One  day  his  wife  A.as  ascending  the  Saco  River  in 
a  canoe  with  an  infant  babe  in  her  arms.  There  were  some 
brutal  British  sailors  on  the  banks.  They  had  heard  that  Indian 
babes  could  swim  naturally,  like  puppies  o.  dueks.^  To  try  the 
experiment,  they  overset  the  canoe,  plunging  mother  and  child 
into  the  river.  The  babe  sank  like  lead.  The  mother,  diving, 
and  groping  along  the  bottom,  at  length  found  it,  and  brouo-ht 
It  to  the  surface.  But  the  child  soon  died.  This  outrage  roused 
Squando,  and  he  consecrated  his  tireless  er<  rgies  in  the  en- 
deavor  to  combine  the  Indians   gainst  t;  •■  i.nglish.a 

nh^^r^?"^""'  ^-'  ^«™^"i^^;  1'"'.  ^onhe^n.     ihe  country  between  the  Pen- 
obscot and  Passamaquoddy  Bay  had  but  tew  habitations.-:  Tr«mam.on,  vol  1 

indl^wfr;.  l^^''^'''''''"^  Govei-nment,  vol.  ^.    y.  29j  see  also  Hubbard's 

2  "Tbey  can  swim  naturally,  striking  thei.  paws  under  their  throats  like  a 
dog,  and  not  spreading  their  arms  as  we  do."  -Jocelyn',  Voyage  to  N^EnZl 

3  <'  The  Whites  di.l  not  believe  that  the  (!«•.  ;   ,£  the  child  was  owing  to  ics  im- 

ZH;;    J  ;      "r*..«l'«-  t'^^  ^''^^^^  '0  knowasweU  as  they."-^^!", 
Book  of  the  Indians,  b.  iii.  p,  <•«,  ' 


..         4         lit' f '■-".■>-' . 


176 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Thomas  Purchas  resided  about  six  miles  below  the  Falls,  at 
Brunswick.  He  was  a  sharp  trader,  and  had  acquired  a  large 
estate,  though  he  had  rendered  himself  very  unpopular  with 
the  Indians.  Early  in  September,  1675,  a  party  of  twenty 
Indians  approached  his  house,  apparently  for  purposes  of  trade. 
Purchas  and  his  son  chanced  both  to  be  absent. 

The  Indians  robbed  the  house  of  gui.s,  ammunition,  and  such 
liquors  as  they  could  carry  away.  They  killed  a  calf  and  several 
sheep,  and  enjoyed  a  luxurious  feast.  In  the  midst  of  the  rev- 
elry, a  son  of  Mr.  Purchas  appeared  on  horseback.  Terrified  at 
the  spectacle,  he  fled  for  life,  putting  the  horse  to  his  utmost 
speed.  An  Indian,  with  a  gun  hid  under  his  blanket,  pursued 
him  for  a  short  distance,  but  soon  gave  up  the  chase.  Neither 
Mrs.  Purchas  nor  any  members  of  the  household  were  subjected 
to  any  violence,  though  the  Indians  said,  in  retiring,  "  Others 
will  soon  come,  and  you  will  fare  worse."  ^ 

This  was  the  first  hostile '  act  here,  indicating  that  war  had 
actually  commenced.  In  Falmouth,  on  the  east  bank  of  the 
Presumpscot  River,  there  v/as  an  old  man  residing,  by  the  name 
of  Thomas  Wakely.  His  lonely  cabin,  containing  nine  inmates, 
was  far  removed  from  any  neighbors.  Mr.  Wakely  and  wife, 
his  son  John  and  his  wife,  and  three  children,  were  tomahawked. 
Two  were  carried  away  as  captives.^ 

Lieut.  George  IngersoU  resided  on  Casco  Neck,  now  Portland. 
From  his  cabin  he  saw  the  flame  and  the  smoke.  The  next 
morning,  with  a  small  party  of  well-armed  neighbors  which  he 
had  collected,  he  proceeded  to  the  spot.  Awful  was  the  spec- 
tacle which  met  his  eye.  The  body  of  old  Mr.  Wakely  was 
half  consumed  by  the  fire.  Nothing  remained  of  his  wife  and 
sou  but  their  charred  and  blackened  bones.  The  wife  of  his 
son,  who  was  netcr  her  confinement,  had  been  cut  down  by  the 
tomahawk,  and  her  body  was  mangled  in  the  most  shocking 
manner.  The  bodies  of  three  little  children,  whose  brains  had 
been  dashed  out,  were  partially  buried  in  tue  ruins.  Of  the  two 
children  who  were  carried  into  captivity,  one  was  never  heard 

^  Wlien  complained  of  for  this  tlepr«?aation,  they  (the  Indians)  attempted  to 
justify  tliemselves  on  tlie  Kiound  tliat  I'tirchas  had  injured  thorn  in  their  trading. 
—  IXiatory  of  Fort'and,  by  William  Willis,  p.  195. 

•  History  of  Portland,  by  WUliam  WilUa,  p.  m. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  177 

Wakely,  about  eleven  yean,  of  age,  ivas  eventually  rescued.' 

The  poor  orphan  child,  in  the  endurance  of  physical  suffer 
.ngs  from  cold,  hunger,  and  wariness,  which  werr"!' 
tolerable,  and  of  the  most  dreadful  mental  anguish  hZ  the 

":!:  "";'"  "^ -'—<>.  --  --^incd  m  capTiv ; 

through  the  kmd  interposition  of  Squando.»  N-  •-.ng  after 
tins,  the  son  of  Lieut.  Ingersoll  was  killed,  and  .s  i.  "1  and 
those  of  his  neighbors  were  burned.'  -s  u  ase  and 

weIe"roufd"'  >™'^f''?  'W'"'  blood,  their  savag.  natures 
were  lousod.    In  small,  demoniac  bands,  they  scattered  over 

aioscoggm.  A  krge  number  of  Indians  were  ravagin.^  the 
dwellings  at  the  head  of  New  Meadows  River,  near  Brunswick 

attacked  them.    There  was  a  hotly  contested  battle.    The  Eng 
.sh  were  defeated,  and  driven  back  to  their  sloop.     Many  w«e 
everely  wounded.    The  victors  uttered  yells  of  triumph  wMch 

resounded  through  the  forests.  "^ 

we?e"at'eke,7  T"'"*'''  ^'P''  '*'  "™  dwelling-houses  at  Saco 
were  attacked.     One  was  occupied  by  Mr.  .lohn  Bonython     It 

Ms  °A         n  '  °'  't"  "™'' '"'»"'  "  »''«  below  (he  Lowe 
Falls      A  ne,ghbo„ng  Indian,  who  wa,  friendly  to  Mr.  Bony- 
thon,'  came  to  him  privately,  and  said,  _  '  "•  «ony. 

'•  Somo  str,,„ger  Indian,,  Imm  the  we.,.,  have  been  at  my  ni-wam    Th„ 

l.a;-ing  been  carS  1  up  and Xt»   l^  o     'T''"  "^  ^'''  ^'^« ''' '''  ^'l'^^^'    ^^^> 
Nan4anscn?o      was  SSjite  Tr^^^^^  ''  '""«■''•-  '^^^  ^^ 

Sqnando,  the  sagJor^  of  i^  v'^rstmn T^^^^  '^"'^  ^f''^^"''''  Wahlron'H,  by  oue 
2)mi:«-«ZJooA.o/7/.e/„.J,,i::^H:rm    "  '  "'  ""'"''  "'"^  cruelty."- 

'^  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  i5->i 

norew.  .,ea  ^,.UvaLtof„nrJ;^"„r:Sr,r^orna°r '"^'"- 


178 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


w 


Thus  warned,  Mr.  Bonython  spread  the  alarm  as  far  as  he 
could,  and,  with  his  neighbors,  fled  for  refuge  to  the  house  of 
Major  William  Phillips,  who  lived  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
and  "  near  the  corner  where  the  traveller  turns  to  go  to  the 
bridge."  *  He  was  a  military  man,  and  his  house  was  tolerably 
well  fortified. 

The  next  morning  Bonython's  house  was  seen  to  be  in  flames. 
As  Major  Phillips  looked  from  his  chamber  window,  a  lurking 
Indian,  hid  behind  a  fence,  shot  at  him.  The  ball  struck  him 
on  the  shoulder,  inflicting  a  severe  wound.  Had  he  not  provi- 
dentially, at  the  moment,  changed  his  position,  he  must  have 
been  killed. 

The  Indian,  supposing  that  he  had  accomplished  his  purpose, 
gave  a  triumphant  yell.  It  was  the  signal  for  a  large  number 
of  savages  to  leap  from  their  ambuscade,  and  commence  an  at- 
tack upon  the  house.  The  Indians  numbered  about  a  hundred.^ 
Within  the  house,  protected  by  the  thick  walls,  there  were  ten 
well-armed  and  resolute  men,  who  were  accustomed  to  throw 
the  bullet  with  unerring  aim.^ 

For  an  hour  the  battle  continued.  The  Indians,  as  was  in- 
variably the  case,  were  very  wary  as  to  the  exposure  of  their 
persons.  They  hid  behind  trees,  stumps,  rocks,  and  the  angles 
of  out-houses,  watching  their  chances  to  strike  the  foe.  But 
ere  long  they  became  convinced  that  they  could  not  capture  or 
kill  the  inmates  except  by  stratagem.  They  set  fire  to  an  im- 
portant mill,  and  to  a  small  house  in  the  vicinity,  and  endeavored 
by  insults  and  taunts  to  provoke  the  garrison  to  come  out  from 
their  fortification.  Many  of  the  Indians  could  speak  English. 
As  the  flames  arose  they  shouted,  "  Come  out,  you  coward  Eng- 
lish dogs !     Come  and  put  out  the  fire  if  you  dare ! " 

At  last  night  came.  The  moon  went  down,  and  it  was  very 
dark,  and  still  the  murderous  savages  filled  the  night  air  with 
their  bowlings.  They  took  a  cart,  which  they  loaded  with 
straw,  birch-bark,  and  other  combustibles.  Planks  were  arranged 
to  protect  them  from  the  musketry  of  the  house.     This  engine 

«  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  622. 

«  History  of  Saco  and  Biddeford,  by  0«orge  Folsom,  p.  186. 

«  History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  197. 


THE  niSTOSr  OF  HAIKE. 


17» 


01  J-gs,  baked  in  the  Bummei- and  autumnal  sun,  were  in  thi 

attaci.     Upon  the  application  of  the  torch,  when  the  cart  wa. 
pushed  against  the  house,  the  flames  would  envelop  thrbuZ 
■ng  beyond  all  possibility  of  extinguishment. 
But  the  savages,  as  in  their  eagerness  and  in  the  darkness 

n^ortreTe^  '^T^l  ""''  '""*  ^  gutter,  into  whTh 
one  ot  the  wheels  sank  deeply,  and  such  a  sudden  turn  was 

pshin':it  :"'"''•  T^'  ■'  "''■"^''  '°"»'^-  ">e  whde  party 
a  ri„i    fi        '^'"'f  ^-    ^''^  "8"""'  8"™™  i»»taatly  opened 

men.    six  tell  dead;  fifteen  more  were  wounded.    This  to  th« 
Indians,  was  a  dreadful  loss.     With  yells  of  rage  they     'tired' 

dren  w"arabrM     "'^'"''""^'  '"^'"''"S  -men' a^d  ohU- 
aren,  was  about  fifty.    None  were  killed.    Two  or  three  mW 

braZnd  of  s^"°  '"''  ^^'""'°''  *^  20th  of  S;rm! 
ber,  a  band  of  savages  entered  Scarborough,  burning  houses 

were'burTed""p  ™'""'  '"■^«"'"''->-     Tle'nty.even  housed 
were  burned.    Prom  many  of  them  the  families  had  escaned 
but  to  meet  a  doom  more  dreadful  than  death,  -poverty  home 
lessness,   riendlessness,  and  the  stoics  of  apj^roachTng  wLr 

can  hir^  T'^™".  '  ™'™^'  '"''^=«'  °f  '^e  few  pfgr,  wh  ;h 
can  nere  be  devoted  to  the  subject,  to  describe  the  MvTdual 
scenes  of  violence,  mUery,  and  death,  which  ensued  Flrtb. 
protection  of  the  distressed  inhabitants  of  Saco  Jxteen  v„1 
teers,  under  Capt.  Wincoln,  landed  at  Winter  hX  Th 
were  attacked  by  a  hundred  and  fifty  Indians.  Twtor  fhr  ^ 
of  the  Engl«h  were  soon  kiUed.     The  rest,  taking  a  stld  be 

Ihej  were  drawn  into  ambush,  and  were  all  shnf  h2        n 
•  Wimamson.  vol.  i.  p.  «23.  .  Hubbard's  Indian  Wars,  p.  310. 


180 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■I 


A  man  by  the  name  of  John  Tozier  had  a  house  and  some 
mills  at  Salmon  Falls.  He  had  left  his  family,  consisting  of  fif- 
teen women  and  children,  to  join  the  company  of  Capt.  Win- 
coin.  During  his  absence  a  band  of  Indians,  led  by  two  of 
their  most  renowned  warriors,  —  one  called  Andrew,  from  Saco, 
and  the  other  Hopegood,  from  the  Kennebec,  —  attacked  his 
house.    It  was  within  the  limits  of  what  is  now  Berwick. 

A  young  girl  of  eighteen,  discovering  their  approach,  gave 
the  alarm.  While  the  family  were  escaping  by  a  back  way,  to 
the  garrison,  this  heroic  maiden  fastened  and  held  the  door,  till 
the  savages  had  cut  it  down  with  their  tomahawks.  They 
rushed  in,  and  madly  struck  her  down,  with  repeated  blows, 
until  they  supposed  that  she  was  dead.  Pursuing  the  flying 
family,  they  oaught  two  of  the  youngest  children,  one  oi  whom, 
being  but  three  years  old,  they  instantly  kiUed ;  and  the  other 
they  took  with  them,  and  held  as  a  captive  six  months.  The 
heroic  maiden  recovered,  and  lived  for  many  years.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  her  name  has  not  been  transmitted  to 

us.^ 

A  larger  party  joined  these  Indians  the  next  day.  They 
burned  Capt.  Wincoln's  house,  and  his  barns,  containing  more 
than  a  hundred  bushels  of  corn.  A  company  of  the  English 
set  out  to  pursue  them ;  but  nothing  was  accomplished.  There 
was  the  interchange  of  a  few  unavailing  shots,  but  the  fleet- 
footed  Indians  escaped. 

Every  day  the  animosity  of  the  two  hostile  parties  increased 
in  virulence.  The  fiend-like  deeds  of  the*  savages  so  exasper- 
ated the  English,  that  they  were  ready  to  shoot  down  an  Indian 
as  they  would  a  wolf  or  bear,  without  stopping  to  inquire 
whether  he  were  friendly  or  hostile.  On  both  sides  it  was  a 
war  of  extermination.  Under  such  circumstances  men  often 
become  fiends.  Neither  party  could  accuse  the  other  of  ex- 
ceeding it  in  cruelty.  The  inhabitants  of  Monhegan  offered  a 
bounty  of  five  pounds  for  every  Indian's  head  that  should  be 
brought  to  them. 

I  Drake  writes,  in  reference  to  this  event,  "  Fifteen  persons,  all  women  and 
chUdren,  were  in  the  house;  and  Hopegood,  with  one  only  beside  himself,  Andrew 
of  Saco,  thought  to  surprise  \\\Qm."  —Book  of  the  Indiana,  b.  iii.  p.  109. 


THE  HiarORY  OF  MAINE.  Igj 

aal'*  "^R*^*™  ^^"'i.''  ""'^  *^'"  '^'^  ^^^^^  magistrate  at  Pern- 
aquid.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  sagacious  and  good  man,  and 
to  have  won  the  confidence  of  the  Indians.  He  induced  seUml 
of  the  sagamores  to  visit  him  for  a  friendly  conference.  In 
this  interview  he  said,  "  I  have  urged  our  committee  of  war  tc 
issue  ordei.  forbidding  everybody  to  harm,  or  even  threaten,  a 
peaceable  Indian  I  am  determined  to  see  all  the  wrongs  y;' 
have  suffered  fully  redressed."  ^ 

fl  J^'  ^".^ja°«  manifested  no  disposition  for  the  horrors  of  bat- 
tie  in  which  all  lost  and  none  gained.  They  were  appeased  by 
th  e  conciliatory  words.  A  treaty  of  peace  between  these  two 
parties  was  the  result.  The  Indians  promised  to  do  all  in  thlir 
power  to  induce  others  to  cease  their  depredations.     This,  how- 

oZ;  7\  )  M  '"^'1^''"' ""''  °"  '^'  P^^'^  -'  Mr.  Shurte.  In 
vlned"^  T  t  Massachusetts  and  Maine,  diflferent  counsels  pre- 
vaiied.  In  the  desultory  warfare,  desperate  white  men  wreaked 
vengeance  upon  the  Indians,  their  wives  and  children,  which  no 
savages  could  exceed. 

The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  was  disposed  to  try  the 
effect  of  humane  measures.  Quite  a  large  sum  was  ordered  from 
the  public  treasury  for  ^lie  relief   of   those    friendly  Indian^ 

been  burned.  A  vessel  was  also  sent  to  Maine,  with  military 
tores  and  provisions,  and  a  detachment  of  fifty  soldiers,  under 
Lieut.  Scottow.  These  were  dark  days  througLut  New  Eng! 
7th  nf'7)^^K  "  fi'™''  ^°"fl^S^-ation,  tears,  and  blood."  The 
afd  pra^t      '  '  ""  ^"'"""^  ^'"^^^'^  ^'  ^  ^^^  ''  ^-^-^ 

the^rfi^h"'  '^'^  r  "T  '?^  ''""  ^"^'^  ^^'-^  '^'''  ^^  B^^-wick.     On 

Richard  T    •      T  "'  ^'""''''  '"^"^"^  ^«^^^l^d  '^^  --bin  of 
Richard  rozier,  burned  it  to  the  ground,  killed  him,  and  carried 

h  s  son  into  captivity.     This  was  all  done  within    ight  of  the 

garrison   house    where   most  of  the  inhabitants  ha5   fled   for 

protecuon       i.ieut.   Roger  Plaisted,   who    was   in    commai^ 

despatched  a  party  of  nine  picked  men  to  reconnoitre  the  Te 

would  have  made  him  a  very  old  nm^  fu  S     Itl,'  T     ^^°"*  ^'^^'^■"    ™« 
Shun  alluded  to  iu  the  text  mav  h^Thr     J,  '  ^"^^^^e"".  P«««iWe  that  the 

lis  refers.  ^  ^^^  ^^^'^  *^«  «°"  °*  ^^^  one  to  wlioui  Mr.  WU- 


I 


182 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


It  18  with  amazement  that  we  vead  of  the  readiness  with 
which  the  English,  year  after  year,  for  more  than  a  century, 
would  march  into  the  ambuscades  of  tlio  Indians.  These  war- 
riors made  themselves  merry  in  recounting  the  stupidity  with 
which  the  British  officers  would  lead  their  men  into  the  snares 
which  the  Indians  had  set  for  them.  Braddock  and  St.  Clair, 
in  subsequent  years,  when  they  ought  to  have  learned  wisdom 
by  many  a  bloody  lesson,  manifested  a  degree  of  stupidity  which 
rendered  them  the  laughing-stock  of  the  savage  chieftains. 

After  the  terrific  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  in  Ohio,  the  Indian 
chiefs  amused  themselves  with  a  sham  fight,  in  which  they  re- 
enacted  the  folly  of  St.  Clair  in  marching  into  the  trap  in  which 
the  Indians  virtually  annihilated  his  army.  Even  the  women 
united  in  the  shouts  of  derisive  laughter  which  the  foolishness 
of  St.  Clair  elicited. 

The  nine  men  despatched  from  the  garrison  by  Lieut.  Plais- 
ted  walked  deliberately  into  an  ambuscade.  Three  were  in- 
stantly shot  down ;  the  others,  with  difficulty,  effected  their 
escape.  The  next  day  Plaisted  sent  out  a  team  with  twenty 
armed  men,  to  bring  in  the  dead  bodies.  Plaisted  himself  led 
them.  He  knew  that  there  were  more  than  a  hundred  sav- 
ages, whose  cunning  was  proverbial,  lurking  around ;  and  yet, 
apparently,  he  had  taken  no  precautions  against  their  wiles. 
The  cart  was  drawn  by  oxen.  Just  as  they  had  placed  in  it 
one  gory  body,  a  party  of  a  hundred  and-fifty  savages  rose  from 
behind  a  stone  wall,  amidst  logs  and  bushes,  and  opened  upon 
them  a  deadly  fire.  The  oxen  terrified,  and  probably  struck  by 
balls,  ran  frantically  towards  the  garrison.  A  few  of  the  men 
escaped.  Lieut.  Plaisted,  one  of  the  most  fearless  of  men, 
fought  with  desperation,  until  he  was  surrounded  by  the  Indi- 
ans, and  cut  down  by  the  tomahawk.  Two  of  his  intrepid  sons 
perished  with  their  father.*  One  of  them,  mortally  wounded, 
lingered  a  short  time  before  he  died. 

The  exultant  Indians  burned  houses,  barns,  and  mills,  in  all 
directions.  The  wretched  inhabitants  were  compelled  to  seek 
shelter  in  the  garrison-houses.  Just  before  this  terrible  disaster 
Roger  Plaisted  and  a  Mr.  Broughton  had  sent  a  despatch  to 
Dover,  then  called  Cocheco,  for  aid. 


*  Sullivan's  History  of  Maine,  p.  250. 


TnE  ttlSTOHr  OF  MAWE.  ,53 

younelye.  ^ih  „en  to  help  m,  or  ebe  w.  1  all  i„  ^  ,  ?      "^^  "^  *°' 

Oaptirost  was  caught  at  sorae  distance  from  his  hou,„      a    i 
fled,  ton  hullets  were  fired  at  him.     There  werriut  th,;.1 ,  1'° 

pr  pare  to  repe   the  foe.     The  Indians  took    ho  alam  Ind  d  d 
not  venture  witliin  gunshot.  *  ^^^ 

The  English  settlements  were  scattered  alone,  the  sncoasf 
The  Indian  bands  followed  this  line  burnin..  ■  n,l      n 
ready  to  vanish  beyo.Kl  pursuit  in  "o  ,    eHt/f^ts     'h''  '"^ 
they  encountered  an   overpowerin<.  J    Zl  '  '^^""^^^^ 

killed  at  Wells,  and  much  pro^e   ^^des'oyed ^  "Tt 

move  a  few  rods  from  ih^  Zr.  r  ^^^^^^^^y^^-      No  man  could 

JO,   auu.  novel   aiound   their   wigwam   firpc      tj,„  1 1 

purchase  ammunition   only  of  the  FrInTh      tT*     ^^'^ ,T^^ 
jo^o^^^.ro.,h  a,.L  pathl^TW't-r  S 

prise  that  their  victims  retareTwlrra—LT  tT 
Indians  had  heoome  wear,  of  a  conflict  in  ;hi:h Trrtceived 

»  Williamson,  vol.  1.  p.  628 

they  would  have  all  do  Lo  theT  thfs  aooifw  T"?''  °^  ''"'"^  *"  ^'  «' 
come  upon  them.  It  requires  a  wi^rJ«2.,i  ?^f^^  calamity  would  never  have 
pray  to  be  saved  from  Z^oZLnS^^t^;'^^^^  f*  .*^«  ^^^"'^^  °f  ^ace,  to 


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184 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


blows  almost  as  bard  as  those  which  they  gave, 
entered  into. 


A  truce  was 


II 


"  This  armistice,"  writes  Mr.  Bourne,  "  might  have  resulted  in  a  laating 
treaty,  had  it  not  been  for  naw  acts  of  foUy  and  wickedness  on  our  part. 
Some  had  set  in  motion  whispers  of  new  enterprises  on  the  part  of  the  na- 
tives; aad  the  fears  of  the  people,  from  the  scenes  which  they  had  just  passed 
through,  prompted  them  to  seize  those  who  had  been  active  in  the  war. 
Under  the  authority  of  precepts  for  this  purpose,  some  were  seized  near 
Pemaquid,  carried  off,  and  sold  as  slaves  in  foreign  countries;  a  barbarity, 
on  the  part  of  civilized  man,  fully  a  counterpoise  for  the  Indian  enormities. 
And  thus  the  fire  was  again  kindled  to  sweep  over  the  Province."  ^ 

Two  vile  kidnappers,  in  their  vessels,  ran  along  the  eastern 
coast,  and  caught  several  Indians,  whom  they  carried  into  for- 
eign parts,  and  sold  as  slaves.  Some  of  these  poor  captives 
were  Mickmaks  from  Cape  Sable.  Mr.  Shurte,  at  Pemaquid, 
remonstrated  against  these  outrages  in  vain.  The  Mickmaks 
were  thus  induced  to  join  the  eastern  tribes  in  their  avenging 

warfare.* 

There  is  something  very  touching  in  the  imploring  cry  of  the 
Indians  against  these  wrongs.  They  evidently  desired  peace, 
and  were  goaded  to  war  by  intolerable  grievances.  Mr.  Shurte 
had  won  their  confidence.  A  delegation  waited  upon  him,  and 
said,  — 

"Your people  frightened  us  away  last  fall,  from  our  cornfields  abouw 
Kennebec.  You  have  withheld  powder  and  shot  from  us.  We  are  thus 
unable  to  kill  either  fowl  or  venison.  Some  of  our  -Indians,  last  winter, 
died  of  hunger." 

Mr.  Shurte  assured  them  of  his  sympathy,  of  his  litter  detes- 
tation of  the  conduct  of  the  kidnappers.  He  encouraged  Ihem 
with  the  hope  that  the  government  would  take  prompt  measures 
to  rescue  the  captives,  and  to  restore  them  to  their  homes.  The 
Indians  expressed  themselves  as  very  much  gratified  by  this 
parley.     They  delivered  up  a  captive  boy,  and  presented  Mr. 

1  History  of  Vdls  and  Kennebuuk,  by  Edward  E.  Boiu-ne,  p.  145.  The  truce 
Into  which  the  8u«amores  entered  included,  according  to  Hubbard,  only  the  In- 
dians between  Piscataqua  and  Casco.  -Httbbard's  IndianWars,  p.  346. 

a  Hubbard,  pp.  332-344. 


ace  was 


a  lasting 
our  part. 
;  the  na- 
ist  passed 
the  war. 
Lzed  near 
larbarity, 
lormities. 


eastern 
nto  f(jr- 
captives 
imaquid, 
ickmaks 
ivenging 

y  of  the 
cl  peace, 
L".  Shurte 
bini,  and 


jlda  abouii 
3  are  thus 
jat  winter, 


;er  detes- 
red  I  hem 
measures 
les.  The 
i  by  this 
uted  Mr. 

The  truce 
jnly  the  In- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


185 


Shurte  with  a  belt  of  wampum.  Arrangements  were  soon  made 
for  the  assembling  of  an  important  council  at  Teconnet,  near 
where  Waterville  now  stands. 

Messi-s.  Shurte  and  Davis  represented  the  white  men.  Five 
prominent  sagamores  represented  the  Indians.  But  there  was 
a  difficulty  between  them  which  no  human  wisdom  could  solve. 
The  Indians  must  have  powder  and  shot.  It  had  become  with 
them  almost  a  necessity  of  life.  But  the  western  Indians  were 
in  deadly  hostility  to  the  whites.  If  ammunition  were  freely 
sold  to  the  eastern  Indians,  it  would  Inevitably  .soon  reach  those 
in  the  west.  The  English  commissioners  were  embarrassed,  and 
gave  evasive  replies.  At  length  one  of  the  chieftains,  Madock- 
awando,  became  impatient  of  the  distrust  which  was  manifested. 
Ho  rose,  and  with  much  dignity  said,  — 

"  Do  we  not  meet  here  on  equal  ground?  We  ask,  where  shall  we  buy 
powder  and  shot  for  our  winter's  hunting?  Shall  we  leave  the  English,  and 
apply  to  the  French  for  it?  Or  shall  we  let  our  Indians  die?  We  have 
waited  long  to  hear  you  tell  us.     Now  we  want  Yes,  or  No." 

Thus  driven  to  a  decisive  answer,  one  of  them  replied,  though 
still,  as  will  ^e  seen,  rather  evasively,  — 

"  You  may  have  ammunition  for  necessary  use.  But  you  yourselves  say 
that  there  are  many  western  Indians  who  do  not  choose  peace.  Should  you 
let  them  have  the  powder  which  we  sell  you,  what  do  we  better  than  cut  our 
own  throats?  This  is  the  best  answer  we  are  allowed  to  return  you,  though 
you  wait  ten  years."  * 

The  council  was  held  in  a  large  wigwam.  Ihe  English  were 
entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  Indians.  B  .  the  savages,  though 
they  took  much  umbrage  at  this  reply,  and  broke  up  the  council, 
were  guilty  of  no  treachery. 

••  It  is  not  our  custom,"  they  proudly  said,  "  to  seize  messengers  coming 
to  us.  We  certainly  never  do  as  your  people  once  did  with  fourteen  of  our 
Indians  sent  to  treat  with  you.  You  took  away  their  guns,  and  set  a  guard 
over  their  heads.  Keep  your  arms.  It  is  a  pomt  of  honor.  You  are  at 
liberty." 

'  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  832;  Hubbard's  Indian  Wars,  p.  340.  Drake  gives  an 
interesting  account  of  this  council.  '« Here,"  he  says,  "as  might  reasonably  have 
been  expected,  ended  the  negotiation;  and  massacres  and  bloodshed  aeon  after 
desolate*!  tliat  part  of  the  country."  —  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  pp.  100, 101. 


CHAPTER  XL 


THE  HOBBOBS  OP  WA». 

Dispersion  of  King  Philip's  Forces— Falmoutli  Desolated  —  Scenes  of  Horror 

—  Arrowsick  Plundered  —  Treacliery  of  Major  Waldron  —  Muujoy's  Island 
capttired  by  tlie  Savages  —  Tlie  Indians  ask  for  Peace  —  Anecdote  of  Mugg 

—  Tlie  Euglisli  resume  the  War  —  Increased  Ferocity  of  the  Indians— The 
Mohawks  Allies  of  the  English  — The  Ambuscade  at  Black  Pobit— Its  Fatal 
Besults. 

TT'ING  PHILIP  was  hunted  down  and  killed  in  August^ 
-L^  1676.  It  is  said,  that,  jbst  before  the  commencement  of 
the  war,  the  governor  of  Massachusetts  sent  an  ambassador  to  ' 
him,  to  inquire  why  he  was  making  hostile  preparations.  The 
Indian  chief  haughtily  replied,  "  Your  governor  is  but  a  sub- 
ject of  King  Charles  of  England.  I  shall  not  treat  with  a 
subject.  I  shall  treat  of  peace  only  with  the  king,  my  brother. 
When  he  comes,  I  am  ready."  • 

The  death  of  Philip  did  not  terminate  the  war :  it  only  scat- 
tered his  forces.  Many  of  his  warriors  retreated  to  Maine,  and 
joined  the  8avagv<<  bands  who  were  burning  and  plundering  there. 
Squando  was  particularly  active.  He  professed  to  have  received 
a  divine  revelation,  urging  him  to  the  conflict."  Three  of  these 
warriors,  men  of  much  shrewdness  and  energ}-,  took  the  Eng- 
lish names  of  Simon,  Andrew,  and  Pster.     They  were  desperate 

1  The  Indian  name  was  Pometacom.  It  is  various  spelled.  In  familiar  con- 
versation the  first  syllable  was  frequently  dropped,  and  he  was  called  Metacom. 
Hubbard  says  that  he  was  nicknamed  Kiug  Philip,  in  consotiueuce  of  his  bold  and 
commanding  spirit.  —  Drake's  Book  of  tlie  Indians,  book  iii.  pp.  13  —  24. 

2  "Squando  pretended  that  God  appeared  to  him  in  tha  form  of  a  tall  man  in 
black  clothes,  declarmgto  him  that  he  was  God,  and  commauded  him  to  leave 
liis  drinking  of  strong  liquors,  and  to  pray,  and  to  keep  sabbaths,  and  to  go  to  hear 
the  "Word  preached ;  all  which  things  the  Indian  did  for  some  years,  vith  gi'eat 
seeming  devotion  and  conscience,  observe."  —Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book 
UL  p.  99. 

186 


THE  HTSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


187 


men.     The  terror  of  their  deeds  spread  far  and  wide      Simon 
who  was  called  by  his  associates  the  Yankee  M^tLt!^^:. 
he  had  shot  many  a  white  man,  and  that  he  had  never  fefwh! 
once  in  striking  his  victim  to  the  ground  '"^'^  ^"' 

Early  in  August,  1676,  this  Simon,  with  a  nartv  of  =». 

~alUhe'°"^^  °'  ^"^^  Bracktt,Vlaroul^lf;; 
smed  all  the  weapons  m  the  house,  and  bound  Mr.  Brackett 
h.s  wife,  five  children,  and  a  negro  servant     Mir  r7  tL. ' 

Zl  7  ^t 'T^"'-     Circumstances  indicate  tliat  Mr  BiaT 
ett  had,  by  l„s  fair  dealings,  won  the  confidence  of  the  Indian^ 

Brackett  occupied  a  large  farm  at  Back  Cn^a     Wo  u  ^ 
their  farm  work,  to  unite,  helping  each  other     Twn  T.t 

s:;t^xrsfotTn  i  !:rS^'^iT 

oove  at  Presnmpscot  River  ^'  ""^  """"^  ""« 

ln>ew  too  well  its  import.    Z  it^Z  ^^1^:^^.  'Z'S 

't:^  -{9^--  .t:-rriv::::;fref — • 
^  ^'tz:^  rrtt-  ot^LfStr 

rxver.  Richard  Pike,  with  another  man,  chan  d  be  ;,  "a 
canoe  on  the  river,  a  Uttle  above  Mr.  Sorbin's  house  Thev 
heard  the  fire  of  musketry,  and  immediately  saw  a  Me  tev 
mnmng  terror  stricken  towards  the  river,  pu«„ed  by  he  v^.' 
ing  savages.  They  were  dischaiging  their  In,  at  bLTjT 
bulled  whistled  over  the  heads  of  tfe  men  in  the  bo^'  '" 


I 


188 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Simon  LImself  soon  appeared  upon  the  bank,  and  called  upon 
them  to  come  ashore.  But  they  plied  their  paddles  with  the 
vigor  which  the  peril  of  death  inspired,  shouting  the  alarm  to 
several  houses  upon  the  banks,  and  calling  upon  all  to  run,  with 
the  utmost  speed,  to  the  garrison-house. 

On  the  extreme  east  of  the  promontory  then  called  Cleeves' 
Neck,  but  which  is  now  covered  with  the  dwellings  of  Portland, 
there  was  a  beautiful  swell  of  land,  which  rose  about  a  hundred 
and  sixty  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Upon  the  southern 
slope  of  this  charming  spot,  commanding  a  view  of  the  sea 
interspersed  with  islands,  and  wide  reaches  of  the  land,  in  all 
their  pristine  luxuriance,  the  first  settlers  of  Portland  reared 
their  homes.  Here  also  they  erected  their  garrison-house  to 
protect  them  from  a  foe  more  to  be  dreaded  than  sickness  or 
famine  or  cold,  or  the  most  ferocious  beasts  of  the  forest.^ 

But  the  terror  was  so  great,  and  those  who  had  escaped  to 
the  garrison  were  so  few  an4  feeble,  that  they  dared  not  await 
an  attack  from  foes  so  numerous  and  merciless.  The  smoke  of 
their  burning  dwellings  was  ascending  all  around.  These  woe- 
stricken  fugitives,  huddled  into  canoes,  sought  refuge  upon  one 
of  the  islands  near  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  This  spot  is  now 
called  Cushings  Island.  A  messenger  was  immediately  des- 
patched across  the  water  to  Scarborough,  then  called  Black 
Point,  for  help. 

In  the  panic  of  their  flight,  they  had  left  behind  them  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  ammunition  This  was  essential  to  their 
defence.  It  would  also  greatly  angthen  the  savages  should  it 
fall  into  their  hands.  In  the  darkness  of  the  night,  a  small 
party  of  brave  men  paddled  stealthily  across  the  harbor,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  recovering  much  of  the  powder  which  had  escaped 
the  scrutiny  of  the  ransacking  Indians. 

During  the  next  day  several  of  the  English  settlers  succeeded 
in  effecting  their  escape,  and  in  joining  the  fugitives  on  Bangs' 

*  "The  situation  had  advantages  of  utility  and  beauty.  It  was  open  to  the 
■ea  by  a  small  and  handsome  bay,  accessible  to  fishing  boats,  and  near  the  islands, 
while  it  was  protected  from  the  north  winds  by  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  it.  Here 
the  first  settlers  cultivated  the  soil,  and  pursued  their  traflSo  with  the  natives,  for 
a  number  of  years,  holding  the  land  by  a  mere  possessory  title."  —  History  of 
Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  47. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


189 


Island.  They  saved,  however,  only  their  lives!  Their  homes, 
and  all  they  contained  of  food,  clothing,  fanning  and  domes- 
tic utensils,  were  left  to  be  plundered  and  destroyed  by  the 
savages.  It  is  diflScult  for  the  imagination  to  conceive  the  des- 
titution and  the  woes  to  which  these  sufferers  were  doomed. 

Thus  the  peninsula  of  Cleeves,  or  Casco  Neck,  was  laid  deso- 
late. Thirty-four  persons  were  either  killed,  or  carried  into 
captivity.'  The  amount  of  property  destroyed  was  the  all  of 
these  humble  settlers.  The  loss  was  irreparable.  These  fami- 
lies were  left  in  the  wilderness,  utterly  destitute,  with  the  blasts 
of  a  Maine  winter  rapidly  gathering  in  the  north. 

Upon  the  receipt  of  these  tidings  in  Boston,  the  General 
Court  immediatel/  sent  a  vessel,  with  fifteen  hundred  pounds 
of  bread,  to  the  starving,  houseless  fugitives  on  Cushings  Island, 
which  was  then  called  Andrews  Island.  The  following  extract 
of  a  letter  from  Portsmouth,  dated  Sept.  26,  1676,  will  give  the 
reader  some  conception  of  the  terror  of  those  days.  It  was 
addressed  to  Major-Gen.  Denison,  at  Ipswich :  — 

««  This  serves  to  cover  a  letter  from  Capt.  Hathom,  from  Caaco  Bay,  in 
which  you  will  understand  their  want  of  bread,  which  want  I  hope  is  well 
supplied  before  this  time;  for  we  sent  them  more  than  two  thousand  weight, 
which  I  suppose  they  had  last  Lord's  Day  night.  The  boat  that  brought 
the  letter  brings  also  word  that  Saturday  night  the  Indians  burnt  Mr. 
Munjoy's  house  and  seven  persons  in  it.  On  sabbath  day  a  man  and  hia 
wife,  one  Gouge,  2  were  shot  dead  and  stripped  by  the  Indians  at  Wells. 
Yesterday  at  two  o'clock.  Cape  Nedick^  was  wholly  cut  off;  only  two  men 
and  a  woman,  with  two  cr  three  childi-en,  escaped.  So  we  expect  now  to 
hear  of  farther  mischief  every  day.    They  send  to  us  for  help,  both  from 

I  Hubbai-d'a  Indian  Wars,  pp.  339  —  369.  See  also  a  very  carefully  prepared  ac- 
count of  this  tragedy,  in  the  History  of  Portland,  by  William  WilUs,  pp.  204,  205. 

a  Mr.  Williamaou  gives  this  name  as  Gooch,  vol.  i.  p.  540.  Mr.  Bourne,  in  hia 
History  of  WeUs  and  Kennebunk,  writes,  "As  the  people  were  returning  to  thek 
homes,  Mr.  James  Gooch  and  his  wife  were  attacked.  He  was  shot  and  she  was 
out  to  pieces  by  the  hatchet,"  p.  145. 

Again  he  writes,  referring  to  the  same  date  and  locality,  quoting  from  a  letter, 
"  On  sabbath  last,  a  man  and  hij  wife,  namely  one  Gouge,  were  shot  dead  and 
stripped  by  the  Indians,  at  "Wells,  about  two  or  three  o'clock,"  p.  146. 

It  can  scarcely  be  doubted  that  both  of  these  accounts  refer  to  the  same  event 

8  This  is  usually  speUed  Neddock.  SulUvan  spells  it  Neddick,  p.  241.  There 
was  here  a  vory  attractive  coast  region,  about  four  miles  from  York  River, 
fringed  with  a  beautiful  beach  of  white  sand.  —  Williatmon'a  History  of  Maine,  vol 
L  p.  24. 


190 


THE  HrSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


Wells  and  York;  but  we  had  so  many  men  ou*  of  town,  that  we  know  not 
how  to  spare  any  more. 

"  Sir,  please  send  notion  to  the  council  that  a  supply  be  sent  to  the  army 
from  the  Bay ;  for  they  have  eaten  us  out  of  bread,  and  here  is  V.  ttle  wheat 
to  be  gotten,  and  less  money  to  pay  for  it.  The  Lord  direct  you  and  us  in 
the  great  concerns  that  are  before  us;  which  dutiful  service  prosented,  in 


haste  I  remain,  sir,  your  servant. 


"Richard  M&RTm." 


The  Indians,  under  the  exasperation  of  the  war,  were  grow- 
ing more  and  more  barbarous.  The  massacre  at  Cape  Neddock 
was  attended  with  savage  cruelty  hitherto  unpractised.  Some 
dead  bodies  were  wantonly  hewn  to  pieces  with  the  tomahawk. 
Forty  persons  were  slain,  or  carried  into  captivity.  Some  of  the 
atrocities  were  too  dreadful  to  be  narrated.  A  nursing  mother 
had  her  brains  dashed  out.  Her  infant  was  fastened  to  her 
bosom,  and  was  thus  found  living,  striving  to  draw  nutriment 
from  the  cold  breast.^ 

The  Indians,  with  their  captives,  proceeded  to  the  Kennebec 
River,  where  they  divided  into  two  bands.  Eleven  ascended  the 
river ;  the  remainder  followed  down  the  stream  to  attack  the 
settlements  near  its  mouth.  They  took  the  fort  upon  Arrowsic 
Island  by  surprise,  and  killed  many  of  the  inhabitants.  This 
island,  which  was  quite  celebrated  in  the  early  history  of  Maine, 
was  separated  from  Pittston  by  a  channel  about  half  a  mile  in 
breadth.  It  contained  four  thousand  acres,  and  about  fifty 
dwellings  had  been  reared  upon  its  shores. 

The  battle  here  was  desperate.  One  wearies  of  reading  the 
appalling  account  of  these  scenes  of  slaughter.  But  few  escaped. 
The  little  settlement  had  been  in  a  high  state  of  prosperity, 
Capt.  Lake,  one  of  the  opulent  proprietors,  had  erected  upon 
the  island  a  large  and  beautiful  mansion,  a  strong  fortress,  with 
mills  and  outbuildings,  at  the  expense  of  many  thousand 
pounds. 

The  Indians,  about  a  hundred  in  number,  came  to  the  island 
stealthily,  by  night,  landing  upon  the  south-eastern  point,  and 
secreted  themselves  in  those  hiding-places  which  they  knew  so 
well  how  to  search  out.  The  people  were  taken  entirely  by 
surprise.     The  Indians  crept  in  at  the  fort  gate  by  stratagem, 

*■  Sullivan's  History  of  Maine,  p.  211. 


TffE  niSTORr  OF  MAINE. 


191 


closed  the  port-holes,  and  with  hideous  yells  proclaimed  them- 
selves masters  of  the  garrison.  Terrible  was  the  consternation, 
^or  a  few  moments  there  was  a  hand-to-hand  struggle ;  but 
Capts.  Lake  and  Davis,  finding  themselves  overpowered,  fled, 
with  a  few  others,  by  a  roar  portal,  and,  seizing  a  canoe,  en- 
aeavored  to  escape  to  another  island. 

The  Indiana  closely  pursued  them,  and,  firing  upon  them  in 
the  boat,  killed  Capt.  Lake,  and  with  a  severe  wound  utterly 
crippled  Capt.  Davis.  He,  however,  landed,  and,  creeping  pain- 
fully  along  upon  the  shore,  hid  among  the  rocks.  Here  he  re- 
mamed  in  dreadful  suffering,  for  two  days.  He  then  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  mainland.  About  a  dozen  other  persons,  in 
various  ways,  escaped  from  this  midnight  attack.  Thirty-five 
were  either  killed  or  carried  into  captivity.  The  torch  was 
applied  to  all  the  buildings,  and,  as  tlie  savages  retired,  the 
island  presented  a  scene  of  utter  desolation. 

The  inhabitants  throughout  all  this  region  were  thrown  into 
a  state  of  dismay.  They  generally  abandoned  their  homes,  and 
many  of  them  fled  to  Monhegan,  where  they  thought  that  they 
could  more  effectually  defend  themselves  than  on  the  main  land 
A  watch  of  twenty.five  men  was  appointed  to  patrol  the  shores 
by  night.  Clouds  of  smoke  were  seen  ascending  over  the  burn- 
ing dwellings  of  Peraaquid,  New  Harbor,  Corbin's  Sound,  and 
from  many  of  the  islands.  At  length  the  woe-worn  fugitives 
took  a  vessel,  ana  in  utter  destitution  crowded  on  board,  and 
sailed  for  Piscataqua  and  Salem.^ 

In  the  course  of  about  five  weeks,  sixty  miles  of  the  coast 
eastward  of  Casco  Bay  were  ravaged  and  depopulated.  Many 
ot  the  inhabitants  were  killed,  many  carried  into  captivity,  and 
some  escaped  in  the  extreme  of  terror  and  wretchedness. 
Mountjoys^  Island  is  about   3  miles  from  the  mainland.    There 

»  Hubbard's  Narrative  of  the  Indian  Wars,  pp.  351-360 
The  name  is  so  spelled  by  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  637.    Mr  Willis  snails  \t 
Murray  He  writes,  '' Cleeves,  on  the  28th  of  December^637  i  for  Lt™ 
to  Michel  Mitton  who  married  his  only  child  EUzabe  h,  the  island  at  t^fmorh 


IM 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


was  here  an  old  stone  house  where  several  families,  abandoning 
theii"  homes,  sought  refuge. 

These  tragic  events  are  alluded  to  in  the  following  extract 
from  a  letter  addressed  to  the  governor  and  council  of  Massa- 
chusetts. It  was  written  by  Brian  Pendleton  of  Saco,  and  was 
dated,  "  Winter  Harbor,  at  night,  Aug.  13,  1676." 

"  T  am  Borry  my  pen  must  be  the  mesaenger  of  so  great  a  tragedy.  On 
the  nth  of  this  instant,  we  heard  of  many  killed  of  our  neighbors,  in  Fal- 
mouth,  or  Casco  Bay.  On  the  12th  instant,  Mr.  Joslin  sent  me  a  brief  let- 
ter written  from  under  the  hand  of  Mr.  Burras  (Burroughs)  the  mmister. 
He' gives  an  account  of  thirty-two  kiUed  and  carried  away  by  the  IncUans. 

'«  Himself  escaped  to  an  island,  but  I  hope  Black  Point  men  have  fetched 
him  off  by  this  time , — ten  men .  six  women .  sixteen  children.  How  soon  it 
wiU  be  our  portion,  we  know  noz.  Th*.  Lord  in  mercy  fit  us  for  death,  and 
direct  your  hearts  and  hands  to  acknowledge  and  do  what  is  most  needful  in 
Buch  a  time  of  distress  aa  this!  Thus,  in  haste,  I  commit  you  to  the  guid- 
ance of  our  Lord  God,  and  desire  your  prayers  for  U8.» 

Some  of  the  fugitives  escaped  to  Jewell's  Island,  where  there 
was  a  partially  fortified  house,  and  did  not  return  to  their  deso- 
late habitations  until  the  peace  of  Casco  was  made  April  12, 
1678.  The  Indians,  elate  with  their  many  victories,  pursued  m 
a  fleet  of  canoes.  The  plumed  warriors  landed,  not  secretly, 
but  with  the  shrill  warwhoop  shouting  the  battle-cry.  It  was 
the  2d  of  September.  It  seems  almost  incredible  that  these  peo- 
ple could  again  have  allowed  themselves  to  be  taken  by  surprise. 
The  women  were  at  some  distance  from  the  house,  washing  at  a 
brook.  The  children  were  scattered  along  the  beach.  The  men 
were  absent  fishing.    No  sentinel  was  stationed  to  announce  the 

approach  of  the  foe.^ 

The  Indians  landed  and  ru&ned  towards  the  house,  thus  cut- 
ting off  the  retreat  of  the  women  and  children,  and  leaving  to 

t  "  The  original  of  this  letter  is  in  the  family  of  John  Palmer,  Esq."  -  History 
of  Portland,  by  Mr.  Willis,  p.  20fi,  note.  i„„„*i. 

^  fit  the  commencement  of  the  first  Indian  war.  1C75,  there  were  in  Falmouth, 
fortviix  families:  viz.,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Presumpscot,  nme;  on  the  west  side 
of  the  rive?  seven;  around  Back  Cove,  ten;  at  Capissic,  toward  Strandwater. 
five  on  tbe  Nelk,  four;  in  Purpoodic.  nine;  at  Spnrwink  two;  forty  houses 
Sty  militia  and  four  hundred  inhabitants.  In  Aug.  11  of  that  year  the  town 
w£  isaied  by  the  Indians,  when  thirty-four  of  the  inhabitants  were  slam,  and 
seventeen  taken  prisoners. 


THE  HI8T0RY  OF  MAtSB. 


198 


the  men  no  alternative  but  to  return  to  almost  certain  death,  or 
to  abandon  wife  and  child  and  escape  only  with  life. 

There  was  a  brave  boy  in  the  house.  The  little  fellow  fired 
two  guns,  and  shot  two  Indians.  Thus  the  alarm  was  given  to 
the  men  in  the  boats.  Mrs.  Potts  was  washing,  with  several 
children  around  her.  The  burly  savages  seized  them  all  but 
one.  A  small  boy,  seeing  his  father  rapidly  approaching  in  his 
boat,  rushed  towards  him.  A  savage  gave  chase,  and  grasped 
the  child  just  as  he  reached  the  shore.  The  distracted  father, 
seeing  his  whole  family  in  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  could  easily 
have  shot  the  savage,  but  he  was  restrained  through  fear  of  kill- 
ing  his  child.  It  is  difficult  to  imagine  the  anguish  with  which 
he  was  compelled  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  From  the  brief 
account  we  have,  it  seems  probable  that  he  fled  to  Richman's 
Island  to  call  for  aid. 

The  other  men,  as  intrepid  as  they  were  imprudent,  landed 
from  their  boats,  cut  their  way  through  the  Indians,  who  pru- 
dentil/  never  allowed  themselves  to  be  exposed  to  the  guns  of 
the  English  in  the  open  field,  and  regained  the  fortress.  But 
in  the  desperate  movement  two  were  killed,  and  five,  probably 
wounded,  were  made  prisoners.  The  assailants  did  not  venture 
to  approach  within  the  reach  of  the  bullets  of  these  sharp  shoot- 
ers. They^oon  retired,  with  their  captives,  across  the  bay  to 
Spurwink.  Soon  after,  a  government  vessel  arrived,  and  took 
those  of  the  English  who  remained,  to  a  place  of  safety .» 

Here  again  we  regret  to  record  an  act  of  perfidy  on  the  part 
of  the  English.  It  was  treachery  governmental  in  its  nature. 
The  General  Court  sent  an  army  of  a  hundred  and  thirty  Eng- 
Hsh  and  forty  friendly  Indians,  from  Natick,  to  the  assistance  of 
the  people  of  Maine.  Upon  reaching  Dover,  they  were  em- 
bodied with  the  troops  under  Major  Waldron. 

The  major  invited  four  hundred  Indian  warriors  to  come  to 
Dover  for  a  friendly  conference,  to  see  if  they  could  not  agree 
upon  terms  of  peace.  He  pledged  his  honor  for  their  safety. 
Promptly  they  came.  It  is  probable  that  they  really  desired 
peace.  But,  when  the  English  soldiers  saw  these  savages,  the 
memory  of  past  massacres,  burnings,  and  tortures  rose  so  vividly 

»  History  of  Portland,  by  WlUiam  Willis,  p.  208;  WiUiamaon,  vol.  i  p.  2M. 


IM 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


before  then,,  that  it  was  with  very  great  difficulty  Major  Wal- 
dron  could  restrain  them  from  falling  upon  the  warriors  in  nier- 
c.le.«  slar^hter.  Ho  pleaded  with  the  soldiei-s  that  hi«  honor 
was  at  8take,  for  that  he  had  given  his  sacred  word  that  they 
suouia  come  and  go  in  safety. 

Haras^d  by  the  determination  of  his  men,  the  major  at  last 
Bhamefu  ly  consented  to  a  deed  of  infamy.  He  invited  the 
Indians  to  unite  with  the  English  in  a  sham  fight.  Durinff  the 
mancBuvres,  at  a  given  signal,  there  was  to  he  a  giand  discharge 
of  all  the  guns.  The  English  soldiers  were  secretly  instructed 
to  load  their  muskets  with  balls,  and  not  to  fire.  The  Indians 
unsuspicious  of  treachery,  discharged  their  guns.  Thus  ren^ 
dered  helpless,  they  were  all  seized  and  disarmed 

Some  of  these  Indians  had  ever  been  fric.dly.  So  far  as 
known,  they  were  picked  out  and  set  at  liberty.  Two  hundred 
of  the  rest  were  sent  prisoners  to  Boston.  All  who  were  con- 
victed  of  taking  life  v/ere  executed.  The  remainder  'vere  sent 
to  toreign  parts,  and  sold  into  lifelong  slavery. 

There  were  many  in  the  community  who  denounced  this  atro- 
Clous  deed.  There  were  many  who  applauded  it;  but,  worst  of 
all,  the  government  sustained  it.' 

The  next  day  these  troops  proceeded  to  Falmouth  ia  a  vessel, 
touching  at  Wells  Winter  Ha.bor,  Black  Point,  and  Spurwink! 
On  the  way  they  killed  one  Indian,  and  captured  another,  who 
soon  after  aided,  it  is  said,  by  the  friendly  Indians,  effected  his 
escape  At  Casco  they  established  a  garrison,  and  remained 
the.e  three  weeks.  Under  this  protection  several  of  the  inlmb- 
itants  returned.' 

On  the  23d  of  September  seven    men  went  to   Munjoy's 

«  "The  retribution  for  this  iniquity  was  not  long  delayed     The  Indian  l,..rf 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE.  19| 

Wand  to  kill  a  few  sheep  which  had  been  left  there.  TheJ 
were  attacked  by  the  Indians,  and,  after  a  desperate  defence, 
were  all  kdled.  They  were  prominent  men,  heads  of  families! 
and  their  loss  was  bitterly  deplored.' 

The  Indians  were  very  wary,  and,  without  difficulty,  kepfc 
themselves  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  troops.     On  the  12th  ol 
October  the  English  returned  to  the  region  of  the  Piscataqua. 
On  the  second  day  after  they  passed  Black  Point,  a  hundred 
and  twenty  Indian  warriors  made  8  "urious  attack  upon  the  gar- 
nson  which  was  left  behind.»    We  have  the  list  of  sixty  men 
who  were  in  the  garrison,  which  was  said  to  be  very  strong 
An  Indian  chief  of  much  renown,  by  the  i.  -le  of  Mugg,  led 
the  savages.     Henry  Jocelyn  commanded  the  garrison.     Mugc 
proved  himseii'  to  be  far  the  abler  captam  of  the  two      He 
summoned  the  .nmates  of  the  fortress  to  surrender,  promising 
that  all  should  be  permitted  to  retire  from  the  point  unharmed 
with  their  goods.     Mugg  must  have  had  a  good  reputation;  for 
Capt.  Jocelyn  «  left  the  fort  to  hold  a  conference  with  him  thu? 
placing  himself  in  the  power  of  the  Indians.  ' 

No  treachery  was  practised.  He  returned  unmolested  to  the 
fort.  But  there  he  found,  greatly  to  his  surprise,  that,  durinc 
his  absence,  all  within  tne  walls,  except  the  members  of  his 
own  household,  availing  themselves  of  the  offer  to  retire  with 
their  goods,  had  hastily  seized  their  effects,  hurried  to  the  boats 
and  had  already  put  out  from  the  shore.  As  Jocel:n  had  not 
accepted  the  proffered  terms,  finding  himself  thus  utterly  help- 
less,  DQ  was  compelled  to  surrender  at  discretion. 

A  naval  expedition  was  sent  to  Richman's  Island  to  rescue 
the  inhabitants  and  he  property  there.  As  the  sailors  were 
removing  the  property,  a  part  of  them  being  on  shore  and  a 
part  on  board  the  vessel,  tliey  were  attacked  by  so  overpower- 
ing a  force  of  Indians,  that  those  on  shore  were  immediately 
shot  or  captured.    Those  on  the  deck  were,  by  a  deadly  fire  of 

rai '  ^^'  ^""'  *^'"^^  *^**  ^^^  "^  ''^"°*  occurred  on  what  ia  now  caUed  House 
Island.  —  History  of  Portland,  p.  P',  j.  ^°"" 

JZ^!l"^'-'"\^''^-l±^-  ^'•^'Ul»^t««.  "Theyleftthispartoaheconn- 
try  in  the  beginning  of  October;  and,  about  a  week  afterwards,  the  Indians  rallied 
their  orces  a  hundred  strong,  and.  Oct.  12.  made  an  assault  Con  Sk  Pott » 
-  History  of  Portland,  p.  310.  ^ 

«  Mr.  Willis  spells  this  name  Jocelyn;  Mr.  Williamson  spells  it  Josctilyu. 


196 


i;^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  savages,  driven  below.  The  assailants  approached  the  vessel 
in  their  canoes,  and  cut  the  cables.  A  strong  south-east  wind 
drove  the  vessel  ashore. 

Capt.  Fryer,  who  was  in  command  of  the  English  party,  had 
been  struck  by  a  bullet,  and  was  lying  upon  the  cabin  floor, 
helplessly  wounded  and  bleeding.  The  Indians  shouted  out  to 
them,  that  unless  they  surrendered  they  would  set  the  vessel 
on  fire,  and  all  should  be  burned  to  death.  There  were  eleven 
in  the  hold.  They  agreed  to  surrender  upon  condition  that 
they  should  be  permitted  to  ransom  themselves,  by  the  payment 
of  a  stipulated  amount  of  goods  within  a  given  time. 

Two  of  the  prisoners  were  released  to  fetch  the  ransom. 
They  returned  with  the  goods  before  the  appointed  time  had 
elapsed.  But  those  Indians,  who  had  agreed  to  the  terms  of  the 
capitulation,  were  absent  on  a  new  expedition.  Other  Indians 
held  the  nine  remaming  captives.  These  savages  killed  one 
of  the  bearers  of  the  ransom,  took  the  goods,  and  refused  to 
release  the  prisoners.  "A  true  specimen  this,"  Williamson 
writes,  "  of  Indian  faith." 

Winter  came,  with  its  fierce  blasts  and  drifting  snows.  Still 
the  war  raged.  Cabins  and  wigwams  blazed.  Everywhere 
terror  and  misery  reigned.  The  Indians  and  the  English  were 
alike  homeless  and  starving.  The  chieftain,  Mugg,  was  dis- 
pleased with  the  treachery  of  the  vagabond  Indians  in  refusing 
to  surrender  the  captives  upon  the  receipt  of  the  ransom.  He 
ventured  as  an  ambassador  of  his  superior  sagamore,  Madocka- 
wando,  to  visit  Piscataqua,  in  the  endeavor  to  negotiate,  if 
possible,  a  peace.  He  made  no  attempt  to  disguise  his  earnest 
desire  for  the  cessation  of  hostilities. 

Mugg  took  with  him,  and  restored  to  his  friends,  Capt.  Fryer, 
who  was  dying  of  his  wounds.  He  declared  himself  greatly 
mortified  and  indignant  that  the  other  captives  had  not  been 
restored,  and  promised  that  they  should  speedily  be  set  at  lib- 
erty. According  to  Williamson,  Mugg  «  was  favored  with  an 
immediate  passage  to  Boston,  where  he,  in  behalf  of  Madocka- 
wando  and  Cheberrind,  negotiated  a  treaty."  * 

1  Mr.  Drake,  In  his  valuable  Book  of  the  Indians,  gives  a  less  pleasing  account 
«f  this  affair.    He  writas,  "  General  GendaU  of  tfassachusetta.  belne  there,  forced 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


197 


The  treaty  was  certainly  as  favorable  to  the  English  as  they 
could  have  desired.  Indeed,  it  seems  impossible  that  the  Indi- 
ans could  have  fulfilled  its  stipulations.  It  was  agreed  that  all 
hostilities  should  cease ;  that  all  captives,  and  all  vessels  and 
goods,  which  had  bcpn  seized  by  the  Indians,  should  be  restored ; 
that  the  English  should  receive  full  satisfaction  for  all  the  dam- 
ages they  had  experienced ;  that  the  Indians  should  purchase 
ammunition  only  of  agents  appointed  by  the  government ;  and 
that  certain  Indians  accused  of  crime  should  be  surrendered 
for  trial  and  punishment.*  In  conclusion  of  the  treaty,  this 
man,  whom  we  call  a  savage,  said,  — 

"  In  attestation  of  my  sincerity  and  honor,  I  place  myself  a  hostage,  in 
your  hands,  till  the  captives,  vessels,  and  goods  are  restored;  and  I  lift  my 
hand  to  heaven  in  witness  of  my  honest  heart  in  this  treaty."  > 

Two  war  vessels  were  sent  to  the  Penobscot  to  obtain  from 
Madockawando  the  ratification  of  the  treaty.  All  the  articles 
received  the  sanction  of  the  sagamore,  and  fifty  or  sixty  cap- 
tives were  restored  to  their  desolated  homes.  But  again  we 
come  upon  contradictory  statements  which  cannot  be  recon- 
ciled. Several  of  the  tribes  were  much  displeased  with  the 
terms  of  the  treaty,  in  which  every  thing  seemed  to  have  been 
surrendered  to  the  English. 

With  considerable  apparent  apprehension,  Mugg  decided  to 
visit  the  Canibas  tribe  at  Teconnet,  opposite  the  present  site  of 
Waterville,  to  persuade  those  disaffected  warriors  to  consent  to 
the  peace,  and  to  release  their  captives.     In  departing,  he  said 

Mugg  on  board  his  vessel,  and  carried  him  to  Boston;  for  which  treacherous  act 
an  excuse  was  pleaded,  that  he  was  not  invested  witli  siifBcient  authority  to  treat 
with  him<  Madockawando's  ambassador,  being  now  in  the  power  of  the  English, 
was  obliged  to  agree  to  such  terms  as  the  English  dictated."  —fooX;  iii.  p.  102. 

^  This  treaty  is  given  entire  in  the  History  of  New  England,  by  Daniel  Neal, 
vol.  ii.  p.  403. 

2  "  Mugg  was  the  prime  minister  of  the  Penobscot  sacheu,  an  active  and  a 
shrewd  leader,  but  who,  by  his  intimacy  with  the  English  families,  had  worn  off 
some  ot  the  ferocities  of  the  savage  character." — History  of  Portland,  by  William 
Wh'Ji,  p.  217.  * 

"  Mugg  was  a  chief  among  the  Androscog^ns,  and  very  conspicuous  in  the  wat 
of  1676-7,  into  which  he  seems  to  have  been  brought  by  the  same  cause  as  Madock- 
awando, already  stated.  He  had  been  very  friendly  to  the  English,  and  had  lived 
some  tune  wun  them."  —  Drake's  Book  o/t/u  India~is,  book  iii.  p.  1U5. 


198 


fHE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


elude  that  I  am  certainly  bereft  of  my  life  or  my  liberty  " 

For  some  unexplained   reason    he    did    not   return.      Capt 
Moore  after  waiting  a  week  and  hearing  no  tidings  from  him, 
sailed  back  to  Boston.     Mr,  Hubbard,  however,  states  that  i 
WHS  afterward  reported  that  Mugg  said  boastfully  to  the  Indians 

1  ,rv     V  I  \   r""  ^'"^  '"'  '^'^  ^^^"  ^"^-^  »««t<>"'  -»^l  drive 
all  the  English  before  us.     But  we  must  go  first  to  the   fishing 

islands,  and  take  all  the  vessels  of  the  white  men  "i 

We  feel  bound  to  record  this  speech,  though  it  does  not  seem 
to  be  at  all  in  accordance  with  the  character  of  Mugg,  and  rests 
only  upon  the  foundation  of  rumor.  The  following  incident  is 
much  more  characteristic  of  this  chief,  and  is  sustained  by 
ample  evidence :  —  "^ 

Among  the  captives  found  at  Penobscot,  there  was  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Cobbet.     He  was  the  son  of  a  Christian 
minister  at  Ipswich.     Having  been  disabled  by  a  musket  wound, 
he  was  seized  and  bound.     In  the  division  of  the  captives,  i 
was  his  unfortunate  lot  to  be  assigned  to  one  of  the  most  bru- 
tal,  drunken,  and  cruel   of  the  savages.     His  sufferings  were 
terrible.     Several  times  he  narrowly  escaped  having  the   knife 
of  the  savage  plunged  into  his  bosom.      Just  before  Muo-c's 
departui^  to  Teconnet,  the  friendly  chief  chanced  to  meet  this 
victim  of  demoniac  cruelty,  and  to  recognize  him  as  one  whom 
he  had  seen  before.     He  called  him  by  name,  and  said,  "  I  saw 
your  father  in  Boston.    I  promised  him  that  his  son  should  be 
treaty''     ^  ^''''   "'"'^   ^'  released,  ^  according   to   the 

Madockawando  and  Capt.  xMocre    were   both   standino-   by 
The   sagamore  feared   the  fiendlike  ferocity  of    the  captive's 
master  and  that  Cobbet  would  certainly  be  killed  if  he  were 
released  without  a  ransom.^    He   therefore   turned  to   Capt 
Moove,  and  begged  him  to  give  as  a  ransom  a  showy  military 

;  ^f^"-f  7  «f  «'«  r»^liau  Wars,  by  Willian.  Hubbard,  p.  .380. 

Matlockawaiulo  deinanded  a  railsom,  probably  to  satisfv  thA  nwn«     *  *i- 

:  Ills  uiay  imply  that  Madockawando  feared  for  his  owu  life  ^' 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


198 


coat  which  he  had  in  the  vessel.  The  request  was  granted, 
and  young  Cobbet  saw  his  master  no  more.* 

Still  there  was  no  settled  peace.  Many  of  the  Indians  were 
dissatisfied.  Though  active  hostile  operations  had  ceased,  there 
were  rumors  of  threats  to  break  the  treaty,  and  it  was  said  that 
some  captives  had  not  yet  been  returned.  The  General  Court 
fitted  out  a  naval  expedition  of  two  vessels  to  visit  Casco,  and 
ascend  the  Kennebec  River.  There  were  ninety  Englishmen 
and  sixty  friendly  Natick  Indians  on  board  the  vessel.  They 
were  instructed  "  to  subdue  the  Indians  in  those  parts,  and  to 
deliver  the  English  captives  detained  in  their  hands."  Majors 
Waldron  and  Frost  commanded  the  two  vessels. 

This  ill-starred  expedition  was  as  injudiciously  conducted  as 
it  was  unwisely  commenced.  The  troops  landed  first  upon 
Mare  Point,  in  Brunswick,  about  three  miles  below  Maquoit.  It 
was  then,  in  Maine,  mid-winter.  Freezing  blasts  shook  the 
forests,  and  deep  snow  covered  the  ground.  As  a  party  stepped 
on  shore,  a  small  band  of  Indians  met  them,  accompanied  by 
Squando  and  the  ferocious  Simon,  the  "  Yankee-killer."  After 
a  short  parley,  in  which  Simon  declared  that  they  sincerely 
desired  peace,  and  that  they  sent  Mugg  to  the  English  for  that 
purpose,  the  Indians  retired,  and  were  seen  no  more  until  noon 
of  the  next  day. 

A  fleet  of  fourteen  canoes  was  then  seen  ascending  the  bay  ; 
and,  propelled  by  paddles,  they  were  rapidly  approaching  the 
shore  near  the  spot  where  the  vessels  were  anchored.  Soott 
after,  a  log  house  was  seen  in  flames.  It  was  naturally  supposed 
that  the  Indians  had  recommenced  their  work  of  conflagration 
and  massacre.  An  armed  band  was  immediately  landed,  and  a 
battle  ensued,  in  which  several  of  the  Indians  were  killed  and 
many  wounded.  The  English  commenced  the  attack  by  firing 
upon  the  Indians.  At  length  a  flag  of  truce  was  raised,  and 
the  leaders  of  the  two  parties  met. 

"  Why,"  Major  Frost  demanded  of  the  chiefs,  "  have  you  not 
returned  all  the  captives  ?  Why  have  you  set  the  white  man's 
house  on  fire ?    And  why  haA  ;  you  challenged  us  to  fight? " 


*  Sss  \Vi!lip.!nso!!.  vol.  i.  ^.  544,  and  Drake,  boolc  iii.  d.  102^  "The  liistorians 
of  the  war,"  writes  Drake,  "  have  all  observed  that  the  prisoners,  under  Madock- 
p.^varido,  were  remarkably  well  treated." 


200 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  sagamores  replied,  "  The  captives  are  a  great  way  oflF. 
The  weather  is  so  cold,  and  the  snow  so  deep,  that  we  could 
not  bring  them  in.  We  did  not  set  the  house  on  fire  :  it  took 
fire  accidentally.  It  was  no  deed  of  oure.  Your  soldiers  fired 
at  us  first,  and  we  did  but  return  the  fire.  This  is  our  answer." 
Assuming  that  this  statement  were  true,  as  it  probably  was, 
it  must  be  admitted  that,  though  the  Indians  were  worsted  in 
tlie  battle,  they  had  the  best  of  the  argument.  The  English 
having  only  exasperated  the  natives,  and  provoked  them  to 
revenge  by  the  sight  of  their  dead  and  their  wounded  comrades, 
again  spread  their  sails,  and,  pressed  by  wintry  blasts,  traversed 
the  icy  seas  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec.  They  landed  on 
the  western  shore,  opposite  the  foot  of  Arrowsio  Island.  Here 
they  commenced  building  a  block-house  for  the  establishment 
of  a  garrison.  It  was  the  latter  part  of  February,  1677.  One- 
half  of  the  men  were  set  diligently  at  work  there. 

On  the  26th  of  February,  Major  Waldron,  with  the  remainder 
of  his  company  in  the  two  vessels,  sailed  to  Pemaquid  to  meet 
two  or  three  sachems,  who  were  accompanied  by  Indians  from 
several  tribes.  It  was  arranged  that  a  council  should  be  held 
the  next  day,  each  party  repairing  to  the  rendezvous  unarmed. 
The  council  met.  Major  Waldron  complained  of  the  hostile 
spirit  still  manifested  by  the  Indians,  that  several  captives  had 
not  yet  been  returned  ;  and  he  demanded  that  the  tribes,  then 
represented,  should  enter  into  an  alliance  with  the  English  to 
attack  the  other  Indian  tribes  which  yet  remained  hostile. 

An  aged  sagamore  replied,  "  Only  a  few  of.  our  young  men, 
whom  we  cannot  restrain,  wish  to  enter  upon  the  war-path. 
All  the  captives  with  us  were  intrusted  to  our  keeping  by  the 
Canabas  Indians.  For  the  support  of  each  one  of  them  there 
is  due  to  us  twelve  beaver-skins  and  some  good  liquor." 

The  liquor  was  promptly  supplied, and  ample  ransom  offered; 
and  yet  but  three  captives  were  delivered.  We  have  not  been 
informed  whether  there  were  others  so  far  away  that  they  could 
not  be  delivered  up  in  so  short  a  time. 

The  council  adjourned,  to  meet  again  in  the  afternoon.  Major 
Waldron  was  suspicious  of  treachery.  In  eagerly  looking  around 
he  discovered  some  hidden  weapons,  and,  seizing  a  lance,  he 


THE  HISTORY  OF  itAlUE.  201 

you_^mtended  to  rob  u8  of  our  goods  and  then  to  kill  us,  did 

A  tumult  ensued.    The  Indians,  in  consternation,  fled.    A 
well-armed  party  from  the  vessels  hurried  up,  and  pukued  the 

flWth  1  r  »'>'"'«"l.t'>-  "■>-•    Two  of  th'Th  eft  at 
five  of  the  Indians  were  killed  by  the  bullet.    Several  of  the 

Oiowned,  the  remainder  were  captured.     One  of  the  chieft 
Megunnaway    was   dragged  by  Major  Frost  and  an  EnS 
sailor  on  board  one  of  the  vessels,  and  shot."    Among  the  cIo- 
tives  there  was  a  sister  of  Madockawando.    It  will  L  rcmem 

In  addition  to  the  slaughter  and  the  wounds  thua  inflicted 

goods  and  of  heir  provisions,  amounting  to  a  thousand  pounds 
of  beef.  In  allusiotf  to  this  event,  Mr.  Williamson,  who  was  by 
Z^^^Z^J^  '''  ---  «^  ^^-ndialsTh^i 

"  The  chastisement  partook  of  a  severity  which  tha  nmvn«o*-       u 
means  justified;  nor  could  it  be  dictaJrh^      1-     ^''^  P'o^cat'on  by  no 
must  have  reminded  the  InL  ot t  Ijf  S^^  '' 

increase  their  prejudices. "  *  ^  "°'^^'^'  *°**  ^^'^^^  <» 

r«f!'''"!if''A'"^^'*''''"'  enterprise,  Majors  Waldron  and  Frost 
returned  to  Arrowsic.     There  they  captured  and  shot  two  In 

remained  hostile.  AtS3w  th«vlT  .r?'""'  °^  *^«  Indians  who  stil 
the  English,  finding  soineTCnsoLIel^  "^'^''^  *«  h«l«^  «  treaty,  but 

umbrage  to  treat  them  as  eneZ  "^  m  ",?^  *"*"''  *'*°"K'^*  ^^  «  sufficient 
of  thelndians  were  kSleJ  an  over^  considerable  flght  ensued,  in  which  many 
Oians,  book  iii.  p.  iSa         '  **'''°  prisoners." -i)ra*e',£ooA  of  the  In- 

I  ^ra'^e'8  «''0k  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  no. 

donerttrrxritJil^rs^^^^^^^^  'rr'-'^-'  ^^  ^^ 

whom  they  so  much  reSobateT reV  J».«f  ^  '  ^"",?^^'»«  «'«  e^a^Ple  of  those 
Madockawando  wal  not  an  o  .^^v  ^o^^^^^  °°  T  ^''^"*"'  "'^'  '«"  *"  '"^^'^  ^'«y- 
mitted  any  depredations' ZtilSi^  t^V^Z  splil^^^'^  'f  •=°'"' 
wise  done  hbn  damage.  "-DraA^  boot  »«  "  "^  ^     *'^  ^"^  '°™  *"^*  ^t''*"" 

•  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  847.  * '  "^' 


SOS 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE 


dians  whom  thoy  found  upon  the  island.     They  also  captured 
an  Indian  woman,  whom  they  sent  up  the   Kennebec   River  to 
Teconnet,  to  demand  an  excluvnge  of  prisoners.     Takmg  some 
anchors  and  large  guns  which  had  been  left  there,  they  returned 
to  their  garrison  on  the  main  land.     Leaving  forty  men  for  the 
defence  of  the  works,  they  returned  to  Boston,  reachmg  that 
port  on  the  Uth  of  March.     It  was  their  boast  that  they  had 
not  lost  a  single  man  during  the  enterprise.     But,  by  their  folly, 
they  had  enkindled  anew  the  flames  of  horrid  war,  m  which 
multitudes  of  men,  women,  and  children  were  to  be  consumed. 
The  Mohawk  Indians  had  the  reputation  of  being  the  most 
powerful  and  ferocious  of  all  the  savage  tribes.     The  govern- 
ment authorities  in  Massachusetts  sent   Majors   Pinchon  and 
Richards  to  the  country  of  the  Mohawks,  to  enlist  them  in  the 
war  a-ainst  the  eastern  Indians.     Ma.iy  opposed  this  measure 
as  barbarous :  others  defended  it  on  the  ground  that  it  was  law- 
ful to  make  us-  of  any  advantage  which  Providence  might  place 

in  their  hands. 

Eacrerly  a  band  of  Mohawks  rushed  to  attack  the  Indians 
against  whom  they  had  no  ground  of  quarrel.  Their  first  ex- 
ploit was  to  fall  recklessly  upon  a  small  party  of  friendly  natives 
whom  they  chanced  to  meet,  who  were  the  allies  of  the  Eng- 
lish. They  pursued  them  hotly,  and  all  but  two  or  three  were 
killed,  or  wounded  and  captured.  Among  the  slain  there  was  a 
noted  chief,  who,  from  the  loss  of  an  eye,  was  called  Blind 
Will.  He  was  grievously  wounded,  and  crept  away  into  the 
woods,  where  he  perished  miserably.*  ' 

The  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  Moha^yks,  as  the  hireling  sol- 
diers of  the  English,  spread  rapidly  through  the  tribes  in  Maine, 
and  roused  them  to  the  highest  pitch  of  exasperation.  Imme- 
diate  and  vigorous  measures  were  adopted  by  them  to  attack 
York,  Wells,  and  the  garrison  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec. 
Indeed,  nearly  all  the  other  important  points  in  Maine  had 
already  been  laid  desolate. 

i  "The  death  of  Blind  Will  was  the  less  lamented  because  of  his  «"W«»«*^  ^"- 
nlicitv  tliouKh  his  general  conduct  had  always  been  in  consistency  with  1ns  pio- 
fis  ons  In  any  point  of  view  the  event  was  unfortunate,  ^s  tlve  introduction  ol 
S'^hawks  to  Lur  assistance  was  altogethev  i»,pn,irie."-  WW/.~.^L  i^ 
548.  See  also  Trmnbull's  History  of  Connectuut  vol.  i.  P.  3«,  Hubbard  a  Hi» 
tory  of  New  Englaud,  p.  030;  Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  m.  p.  130. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  gOS 

upon  the  Bpotr'x:e't:"fr„:;ttr/er°.'^"-"  "■- 

their  boat  and  escanino-      Ti.Jc,       ax  ^"*^°®^^^<*  »"  recovering 

s."vivo..  that  z  p^f  wJtrd  r;  iTl"' '"''™'''  "■' 

to  other  points.  loanaoned,  and  the  men  were  sent 

Province,  whe  o  1    Ld  '"f     T^  """''"'  ^'"'''""  "^  ">« 

few  tre™Uinr3e:Ltt"l'7he';Sr„T;;:  ?T  '"■' 
Seven  men  were  at  wo,k  in  a  field  a  York  Tl  ^''"""T"- 
savages  shot  them  all  down.  ^''°  P'""'''* 

Wells  seemed  doomed  to  utter  destruction       TT.. 
wore  as  stealthy  i„  their  movements  a!  the  l>f' '    I       T^'^ 
prowlings.    No  man  could  leave  l£  ^btdlor  in  .h"  '""^">'" 
or  go  a  few  rod«  fmn,   i,-    ,  """^  ™'""  ""or  m  the  morn  ng, 

apprehensil  that  a  saw  miTh"'"  *'  "''O. -"-out  tht 
foeh  stump,  or  tree.  'SlTtf  let  "ZT^'I:"!  r^" 
mvisible  foe  unless  carefully  housed  '^'"  ''^  ''° 

braUdt;aml1ilT''cL''''d'tf  'p"*""^' '»■*  ''^  *»  ->- 
PortsmoufhTde     TheJ  h  °     ,       ,'  ^""^1'^  R'ver  to  the 

withani„fanrind^a„ia;rg;ir:ret  '""t"  -">-. 

aged  woman  in  the  fimil^      q-  •  f^r'^®«-     There  was  an 

harmed.  becau:et  ftm  fyefrsre  I'd  he"'  f  .^""f  ■""  "' 
n-other  He  aiso  gave  the'Xt^c  Id  Tu^t  tn'^  'T' 
difficult  Lj  reconcile  thp  pnnfvn^j.*  "***     "  ^^ 

man.    Sometimes  he  .s  rfpre  :„  ed  Z ':T  '"""'  '.'"'  "'""S" 

have  knoi  iX^z  ^^:.::i:-ict^  "^ 

elslit  or  ten  stripe,  eacli.  I"  '  "'"  ""'  ''"'M  1»  pnniehed  with 

knowledge."  ^  '^"°^®  ^^^'^  a™  ignorant  as  those  who  Imve 

This  judgment  prevailed,    b.'^m— t- '-  u       • 


SOi 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


I 


On  the  16th  of  May  the  Indians  attacked  with  great  boldnesf 
the  garrison  at  Black  Point.  Lieut.  Tappan  defended  it.  Foi 
three  days  there  was  almost  a  constant  battle.  Three  of  the 
English  were  shot.     One  was  captured,  and  was  put  to  death 

with  horrible  torments.  ,    ,         t    n  4. 

In  this  conflict  the  chieftain  Mugg  was  struck  by  a  bullet, 
and  fell  dead.  This  so  disheartened  the  assailants  that  they 
retired.  They  left,  by  water,  in  two  bands.  One  fleet  of  eleven 
canoes  paddled  to  the  eastward.  The  other  band,  in  five  canoes, 
proceeded  towards  York  and  Wells,  killing  and  burning  as  they 

had  opportunity.*  „         ,      j    j 

A  new  force  was  raised,  by  the  General  Court,  of  two  hundred 
Natick  Indians  and  ninety  white  men,  consisting  principally  of 
those  whom  the  Indians  had  driven  from  Maine.  Capt.  Ben- 
jamin Swett  and  Lieut.  Richardson,  two  very  brave  and  very 
imprudent  men,  were  placed  ,in  command.  They  reached  the 
fort  at  Black  Point  in  high  spirits,  on  the  28th  of  June.  The 
shrewd  savages,  who,  in  large  numbers,  were  hovering  around, 
began  as  usual  to  prepare  their  ambuscade.  The  English  offi- 
cers, as  usual,  commenced  their  march  into  it. 

The  Indians  sent  out  their  decoy.  The  ninety  white  men 
rushed  out  upon  them.  The  Indians  feigned  a  retreat.  Their 
victims  followed.  With  pell-mell  inconsiderateness,  the  EngUsh 
pursued  their  foes  till  they  were  entirely  in  the  trap.  There 
was  a  dense  forest  on  one  side,  a  swamp,  covered  with  an  im- 
penetrable thicket,  on  the  other.  Both  sides  were  filled  with 
Indian  warriors,  laughing  at  the  folly  of  the  white  men.  There 
was  a  volley  of  musketry  from  an  invisible  foe,  followed  by  a 

knowledge  to  have  done  better."  Judge  Almy,  o"t  «rf jeRa-^to  Simon  remit^l 
his  wife's  punishment  entirely.  Simon  seemed  much  disturbed  but  at  t^e Jime 
he  mil  no  reply.    Soon  afterwards,  however,  he  remonstrated  very  severely 

against  the  decision  of  the  judge.  „  •  „  „*  4naHp«  if  we  do 

^  "To  what  purpose,"  said  he,  "do  we  preach  a  religion  of  justice,  «  ^e  do 
„r,r<<,ht«onsness  in  iudgmentV  "  -Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  i.  p.  22. 
Ss TeXe  XTUr^^^^^   but,  if  fabricated,  it  shows  the  reputation 
This  an«"^«^^™;4     .  discretion.    It  is  said  that  this  event  took  place  when 
sUr:'  an'  ^geTman.  a^^H^en.  by  the  power  of  Christianity,  his  character 

-^I^Z^TJSZZ^Z^^enea.n.  sliced  his  - ^^-^ "n^^^^^^^ 

,.  _,.=,*H ""  "-"I'l  «"'!  i*  difficult  to  draw  its  just  portrait.    His  -vuaress 

w2in:^ring:;;iihisn;turalgood  sense  and  sagacity  partially  inclined  him  to 
be  an  ailvocate  for  peace."  -  WiUiamton,  vol.  1.  p.  550. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


SOI 


continuous,  rapid  discharge.  The  dead  and  the  wounded  were 
dropping  in  all  direstions.  Lieut.  Richardson  was  one  of  the 
first  shot  down. 

It  was  an  awful  scene  of  tumult  and  slaughter.     The  hideous 
yells  of  the  Indians  almost  drowned  the  rattle  of  musketry. 
Capt.  Swett,  as  brave  as  he  was  reckless,  fought  like  a  lion. 
Slowly  he  commenced  a  retreat  of  two  miles,  endeavoring  to 
carry  his  wounded  with  him.     The  savages,  flushed  with  their 
victory,  hung  upon  his  rear,  manifesting  even  more  than  their 
ordinary  ferocity.      In   their  outnumbering  strength  they  so 
crowded  the  fugitives  that  there  were  frequent  hand-to-hand 
fights.     In  this  terrible  retreat  Capt.  Swett  received  twenty 
wounds.     At  length,  when  exhausted  by  fatigue  and  the  loss 
of  blood,  he  was  seized  by  a  burly  savage,  hurled  to  the  ground, 
and  was  literally  hewn  in  pieces  by  the  tomahawk.     Sixty  of 
his  men  perished  in  this  terrible  disaster.     It  sent  lifelong  woes 
to  many  families,  whose  cup  of  misery  seemed  already  full  to 
the  brim.    Capt.  Swett  had  v/on  universal  respect  by  his  bravery 
and  his  many  virtues.    His  death  was  deeply  lamented.* 

There  can  be  no  question  that  the  responsibility  of  this  war 
rests  mainly  with  the  white  men.  The  Indians  desired  peace ; 
but,  when  goaded  to  war  by  intolerable  wrongs,  they  conducted 
the  conflict  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  their  own  savage 
natures.     Mr.  Bourne  very  truthfully  says,  — 

"  The  wickedness  of  man  was  about  to  bring  its  deadly  influences  to  the 
ruin  of  the  peace  and  progress  of  the  settlement.  King  Philip,  believing 
Imnself  wronged  in  his  intercourse  with  the  white  man,  and  rummating  on 
the  cruel  kidnappings  of  his  brothers  and  the  English  usurpation  of  his  " 
domams,  determined  to  destroy  the  cruel  intruders.  His  intellectual  power 
was  far  in  advance  of  the  generality  of  the  sachems.  He  claimed  to  have 
free  communication  with  the  Great  Spirit,  and  to  derive  from  this  inter- 
course, instructions  as  to  his  manner  of  Ufe;  and  he  told  the  tribe  that  the 
white  men  were  bent  on  driving  them  from  their  possessions,  and  caUed 
upon  them,  as  with  the  voice  of  the  great  Father,  to  destroy  them  from  off 
the  land." > 

»  "There  were  slain  at  this  time  somewhat  above  forty  of  the  English  and 

Sf  r.?  V?*  ^"^^""^^^  ^°^^*°'  *''**  ^'*'*«*^:  ^^'^y  ^«^  escaping,  but  were  either 
MUed  right  out  or  dangerously  wounded."  -Huftftard's  Histr.ry  of  New  England 
P.J34.  See  also  Belknap's  History  of  New  Hampshire,  vol.  i.  o.  128:  Cnll«fi«nM 
oi  iaassttolmcolis  Historical  Society,  vol.  vl.  p.  2C3. 

a  History  of  Wells  and  Kennebunk,  by  Edward  E.  Bourne,  LL.D.,  p.  138. 


I 


CHAPTER  XII. 


WABS  AND  WOES  CONTINUED. 


Ravages  of  the  Indians  —  The  Naval  Expedition — Peace  proclaimed  —  Losses 
by  the  War — The  Purchase  of  Maine  by  Massachusetts  —  The  Regime  of  Mr. 
Danforth  —  North  Yarmouth  incorporated  —  Baptist  Church  established  — 
Menaces  of  War  —  Employment  of  the  Mohawks  —  Sir  Edmund  Andros  — 
Thomas  Dungan  —  Tyrannical  Acts  — Attack  upon  Baron  Castine  —  War 
renewed  —  Fate  of  Waldron  —  Expeditions  to  Quebec  and  Montreal. 

THE  savagea  were  now  sweeping  all  opposition  before  them. 
They  ravaged  the  coast  from  Casco  Bay  to  Wells.  Prowl- 
ing into  the  harbors  by  night,  they  seized  twenty  fishing  vessels. 
Most  of  these  were  from  Massachusetts.  Each  of  these  vessels 
had  on  board  four  or  five  men  and  boys.  Taken  by  surprise  at 
midnight,  as  a  dozen  Indian  warriors  leaped  from  their  canoes 
upon  the  deck,  they  could  make  no  resistance. 

Immediately  a  vessel  of  war  was  despatched,  manned  with 
forty  seamen,  to  pursue  and  capture  the  foe.  This  was  indeed 
like  chasing  a  flea  upon  the  mountains.  They  recovered  most 
of  the  fishing  vessels,  which  the  savages  had  abandoned  with- 
out burning  them  ;*  but  not  a  solitaiy  Indian  was  anywhere  to 
be  found.  It  was  feared  that  the  French  would  take  advantage 
of  these  calamities  to  extend  their  sway  to  the  Kennebec.  Sir 
Edmund  Andros  sent  a  military  force  from  New  York  to 
Pemaquid,  to  take  possession  of  the  country,  and  erect  a  fort. 
He  was  quite  successful  in  securing  the  confidence  of  the  natives 
in  the  immediate  region  around,  and  a  beneficial  trafl&c  was 

>  "  The  Indians,  flndiug  their  inability  to  manage  such  kind  of  vessels,  much 

too  heavy  for  them  to  wield  with  paddles,  grew  soon  weary  of  that  sport,  and 

were  pretty  willing  to  return  the  vessels  to  the  English,  after  they  1:  vd  pillaged 

out  of  them  what  was  for  their  turn.' '  —  HiMard'a  History  of  New  England,  p.  636. 

?06 


t 
€ 

C 
V 

b 
o 

sh 


TUL  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


f07 


ntroduced.     Thoy  brought  iu  fifteea  captives,  and  surrendered 

everal  vessels  which  they  had  taken.     Thus  pleasantly,  inTa- 

ternal  in  ercourse,   the   autum.,   and   winter  passed    away  It 

Pemaquid.     Other  tribes  heard  of  these  blessings  of  pearand 

SoZd.  r::  "  ''^'"-  '"'^'••^^  ^"^^'«»^  co™.nisdoners  Tet 
Squando,  and  the  sagamores  of  the  Kennebec  and  the  Andros- 
coggin tribes,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1678,  at  Casco.^ 

Ihe  articles  of  peace  were  few  and  simple.     All  hostilities 
were  to  cease.     Every  English  family  was  I  pay  one  p    rof 
corn  annually,  as  a  quit-rent  for  the  land  they  had  gained  from 
the  Indians.     Major  Phillips  of  Saco,  who  had  veryTxten   v" 
possessions,  was  to  give  one  bushel  each  year.     AH  captives  on 
each  side  were  to  be  surrendered  without  ransom.     Som     of 
he  English  regarded  these  conditions  as  humiliating  to  them  • 
bu   all  considered  them  as  preferable  to  the  continuLe  of    he' 
wa  fare  which  was  desolating  the  colonies.     King  Philip's  war 
was  thus,  ere  long,  brought  to  a  close  in  Massachusetts  as  well 
as  Maine.     It  was  generally  admitted  that  the  sagamores  were 
not  unjust  in  their  demands.  o^moies  weie 

The  Indians  had  certainly  a  possessory  right  to  the  ccuntrv 
which   he  English  had  invaded.     Large  traces  of  territ    y  haJ 

Wlitv      r  "  '''";  '^  ^""^^^^^^  ''  -^^  questionable 

hfwK^V  .1   »^ny  cases  there  was  no  qtiestion  as  to  the  fraud 
by  which  the  English  title-deed  had  been  gained.     In  the  war 
the  success  of  the  Indians  in  Maine  had  been  so  rema  klble 
as  to  warrant  them   in  assuming  the  tone   of  victors.     Under 
these  circumstences  their  exactions  were  by  many  deemed  mod- 

The  losses  sustained  during  the  war,  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Maine  were  enormous.  Two  hundred  and  sixty  were  killed  or 
carried  into  captivity  from  which  they  never  returned.  There 
were,  undoubtedly,  many  others  who  thus  perished,  of  whom  no 
record  was  made^  The  numbers  severely  wounded  have  n^ver 
b  en  counted  The  settlements  at  Cape  Neddock,  Scarbor' 
ough,  Casco,  Arrowsic,  and  Pemaquid,  were  laid  in  ashes.    One 

*  WOliamson,  vol.  i.  p.  553. 


r 


106 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


hundred  and  fifty  men,  women,  .nd  chTldron,  were  ««k«'' »l""^«' 
who.  after  month,  of  often  terrible  .uffermg.,  wore  finally 
Tesled  to  their  friend,.  It  i»  e»timat,».!,  that,  m  the  several 
eoS  ^»  hundred  men  were  killed,  twelve  hundred  house, 
burned 'eght  thousand  cattle  destroyed,  and  seven  hundred 
and  fif^y  thousand  dollar,  expended  in  mihtary  opemtron^. 
Theimmen«lo„e,  by  the  ravages  of  the  war  cannot  be  cal- 

°"Tho*''Durehase'  of  Maine  by  the  Colony  of  Mas^chusetto 
greatly  rZyd  the  tyrannical  kin,  of  England.  The  d.ssolut, 
monarch  wi  intending  to  make  a  transfer  of  '...  ^"-""'y  »« 
7Zli  New  Ham^hire,  to  hi,  son  the  Duke  of  Monmouth 
who  was  not  of  legitimate  birth.  He  wrote  angrdy  to  the 
Colonial  Government,  — 

..We  were  much  surprised,  whUe  listening  to  the  complaint-  of  Mr. 
Oor  J  that^orshould  presume,  without  asking  our  royal  permission,  to 
^Se'hl*  fn^est  in  th'e  Province  of  Maine,  ac.uain1.d  a.  you  know  w^ 
are,  with  some  of  the  effects  of  the  severe  hand  you  have  holden  over  our 
subjects  there."" 

The  Province  of  Maine,  purchased  by  Massachusetts,  was 
suoposed  to  contain  about  nine  thousand  six  hundred  square 
2.  Its  measurement  was  eighty  by  one  ^-^-^  ^^^  ^^ f^ 
miles  8  The  question  as  to  the  government  of  the  Province 
was  involved  in  many  difficulties.  Civil  power,  it  was  said 
Tuld  not  be  bought  and  sold ;  and  a  public  --^^^^^^f^'^ 
not  delegate  authority  which  he  had  received  from^  '^l^^^' 

It  wa:  finally  decided  to  frame  a  civil  code  in  conformity 
with  the  royal  charter  g^..^e^   Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges     A 

rresidenb  was  to  be  chosen  .n  -  V  ,  There  was  to  be  a  legis- 
presiaeuu  wao  ^  ^^^  ^^^  ^ 

lature   consisting  of  two    U.i...  ^e.-      ine  uppc  rpu^  Inwer 

consist  of  the  president's  council,  of  eight  members.  The  lower 
house  was  to  be  composed  of  representatives  chosen  by  the 
towns.    The  legislative^ody  was  to  meet  once  a  year. 

1  E^cords  of  Massachusetts  Government,  vol.  4.  pp.  147-369.    See  also.  Hutch 
Inson's  Collection  of  State  Papers,  p.  493. 

'  SriCf  British  settlements  in  North  America,  by  William  Dough«s. 
▼oL  1.  p.  389. 


TUE  UiarORY  OF  MAINE. 


209 


Mr.  Thomas  Daiif«»rth  of  Cuinbridge,  deputy  governor  of 
MaH3aohu8ett8,  was  appointed  preaideiit.  He  was  a  gentleman 
of  aocompliahed  education  and  gre  it  moral  worth.  An  English- 
man by  birth,  he  had  in  early  life  come  to  this  country,  and 
had  filled  many  offices  of  influence  and  honor.  He  was  a  firm 
republican  in  his  principles,  and  was  ever  ready  to  resist  the  en- 
croachments of  arbitrary  power.* 

Pres.  Danforth  found  many  difficulties  to  be  encountered. 
There  were,  in  Maine,  many  staunch  royalists ;  and  all  such 
were  warm  advocates  of  the  ecclesiastical  polity  of  the  Church 
of  England.  These  people  were  very  unwilling  to  become  the 
subjects  of  republican  Massachusetts  ;  and  bitter  were  the  com- 
plaints which  they  were  continually  sending  to  the  crown.  The 
king  tlireatened  even  to  reclaim  the  Province.  He  wrote  to  the 
General  Court,  — 

"  It  is  marvellous  that  you  should  exclude  from  office,  gentlemen  of  good 
lives  and  estates,  merely  because  they  do  not  agree  with  you  in  the  congre- 
gational way;  especially  since  Uberty  of  conscience  was  the  principal  motive 
of  your  first  emigration.  Nor  is  this  the  only  thing  to  be  noticed.  The 
title-deeds  of  Maine,  we  expect,  will  be  surrendered  to  the  crown,  on  the 
advancement  of  the  purchase  money  and  interest."* 

An  active  and  implacable  minority  may  raise  outcries  which  it 
is  very  difficult  even  for  a  large  majority  to  silence.  Agents 
were  sent  over  from  England  to  spy  out  defects,  and  to  manu- 
facture complaints.  One  Edward  Randolph  was  despatched 
upon  this  mission,  as  searcher ;  and  he  was  particularly  active  in 
the  service.  He  hunted  up  all  individual  outrages,  exaggerated 
them,  and  ascribed  them  all  to  criminality  of  the  government. 
These  malignant  aspersions  were  scattered  broadcast  throughout 
England.  In  response,  the  General  Court  with  dignity  re- 
plied, — 

••  Our  lives  and  our  treasurep  have  been  imsparingly  sacrificed  to  rescue 
Maine  from  the  utter  ruin  attempted  by  a  barbarous  and  bloody  enemy; 

1  Biographical  Dictionary  of  Rev.  Dr.  Allen,  article  Danforth,  Thomas, 

«  This  important  letter  is  given  entire  iu  Hutchinson's  Collection  of  State 

Papers,  pp.  619-622. 

Hutchinson  says  that  the  price  paid  was  twelve  hundred  pounds.    The  York 

Beoords  represent  it  as  twelve  hundred  and  fifty  pounds. 
1ft 


r 


210 


TH]£  n] STORY  OF  MAINE. 


II 


sacrifices  for  which  we  have  never  received  nor  requested  of  tha  proi  inciala 
the  least  remuneration.  We  have,  from  many  of  them,  the  fullest  assur- 
ances of  their  past  satisfaction  with  our  course,  and  of  their  desire  still  to  be 
connected  with  us,  and  their  unwillingness  to  hazard  a  change.  And  as  we, 
without  the  least  shadow  of  disloyalty,  obtained  title  to  the  Province  a 
twelvemonth  after  his  majesty  had  decided  it  to  be  in  Gorges,  it  is  our  duty 
to  favor  the  inhabitants,  and  provide  them  with  a  free  systematic  admin- 
istration."^ 

Upon  the  southerly  shore  of  Casco  Neck,  there  was  a  fortress 
called  Fort  Loyal.  It  was  situated  near  the  end  of  what  has 
since  been  called  King's  Street.  It  had  a  small  garrison,  under 
command  of  Capt.  Edward  Tyng,^  and  was  well  provided  with 
the  munitions  of  war.  In  August,  1680,  Pres.  Danforth,  with 
Mr.  Samuel  NoweP  and  Mr.  Nathaniel  Saltonstall,  as  assistants, 
accompanied  by  sixty  soldiers,  sailed  for  Fort  Loyal.* 

On  the  22d  of  September,  the  township  of  North  Yarmouth 
was  established.  It  took  its  name,  probably,  from  Yarmouth, 
England.  Its  boundaries  then  embraced  Freeport,  Pownal, 
and  Cumberland.  This  was  the  eighth  town  established,  if  we 
except  Appledore,  which  embraced  the  Isle  of  Shoals,  and 
which  was  incorporated  in  1661,  but  which  did  not  long  retain 
its  name.  The  history  of  Yarmouth  is  one  of  rather  peculiar 
interest.  There  is  a  small  stream  here  called  Royall  or  Weste- 
custego  River,  about  fifteen  miles  in  length,  taking  its  rise  in 
New  Gloucester.  It  has  a  good  harbor  at  its  mouth,  where  the 
ancient  settlements  were  commenced.  William  Royall  came 
over  in  1630,  and  purchased  this  region  of  Gorges  in  1643.  In 
1658  he  settled  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  erected  a 
fort ;  but  in  the  year  1676  the  Indians  laid  all  things  waste. 
In  1680  the  settlement  was  revived. 

In  June,  1681,  Pres.  Danforth  and  his  council  met  in  general 
assembly.  It  is  not  now  known  how  many  representatives  were 
sent  from  the  towns.     Four  years  after,  there  were  twelve  rep- 

1  Records  of  Massachusetts  Government,  vol.  iv.  p.  469. 

a  WUliainaon,  vol.  i.  p.  663. 

8  Rev.  Samuel  Nowel  had  been  a  Christian  minister.  He  was  a  man  of  supe- 
rior mind  and  attainments,  was  universally  respected  for  his  virtues,  and  was 
ardently  devoted  to  republican  principles  of  government.  —  Hutchinson's  Collec- 
tions, vol.  1.  p.  038. 

*  idullivan,  p.  182;  Wiliiamson,  p.  401. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


%n 


resentatives.  Among  other  very  judicious  laws  which  were 
enacted,  one  imposed  a  fine  of  twenty  shillings  for  every  pint  of 
intoxicating  drink  any  one  should  sell  to  the  Indians. 

It  seems  probable  that  the  Episcopal  denomination  was  then 
the  leading  one  in  the  State.  In  the  year  1681  the  Baptists 
first  commenced  operations.  Several  were  baptized  by  immer- 
sion, in  Kittery,  and  Rev.  William  Screven  became  their  reli- 
gious teacher.  He  was  born  in  England  in  1629,  and  in  early 
life  emigrated  to  this  country.  He  appears  to  have  been  truly 
a  good  man,  of  accomplished  scholarship,  and  endowed  with 
unusual  powers  of  eloquence. 

His  preaching  was  successful,  and  converts  were  multiplied. 
The  attention  of  the  magistrates  was  arrested.  Mr.  Screven 
was  summoned  before  them,  chared  with  preaching  without 
governmental  authorization.  He  was  fined  ten  pounds,  and 
ordered  no  more  to  hold  any  religious  service.  His  refusal  to 
obey  was  deemed  contempt  of  his  Majesty's  authority.  It  was 
therefore  ordered,  that  — 


"Mr.  Screven,  in  future,  forbear  from  his  turbulent  and  contentious 
practices,  give  bonds  for  his  good  behavior,  and  stand  committed  until  the 
judgment  of  the  court  be  complied  with." 

It  is  humiliating  to  record  such  intolerance  on  the  part  of 
our  forefathers ;  but  it  should  be  remembered  that  it  was  the 
intolerance  of  the  age,  rather  than  of  the  individn.ab.  Notwith- 
standing this  persecution,  a  church  of  eight  members  was 
organized,  and  in  September  of  1682  they  emigrated  to  Cooper 
River  in  South  Carolina.  It  is  pleasant  to  state,  that,  so  far 
as  is  known,  no  other  instance  of  religious  intolerance  has  ever 
been  laid  to  the  charge  of  the  government  of  Maine.* 

Prosperity  was  rapidly  reviving  throughout  the  Province. 
Scarborough  had  risen  from  its  ashes,  so  that  it  contained  fifty- 
six  ratable  polls,  many  well-cultivated  fields,  and  eigh^y  cows. 
A  tax  was  assessed,  by  the  General  Assembly,  of  two  shillings 
on  every  one  hundred  acres  of  woodland,  provided  they  were 
beyond  the  limits  of  any  corporate  town.     It  is  said  that  thus 


1  Williamson,  vol.  L  p.  670. 


r 


•  * 


212 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


originated  the  custom  of  taxing  unimproved  lands  at  a  lower 
rate  than  other  property.  It  is  estimated  that  the  population  of 
the  Province  in  1682  amounted  to  between  six  and  seven 
thousand.     New  Hampshire  contained  about  four  thousand.^ 

On  the  16th  of  February,  1685,  the  infamous  king  of  England, 
Charles  II.,  died.  His  brother  succeeded  him,  as  James  II. 
A  little  before  this,  a  very  important  purchase  was  made  of  the 
Indians,  which  was  called  the  Pejepscot  Purchase.  By  this 
transaction  Wavumbee  and  five  other  sagamores  conveyed  to 
Richard  Wharton  a  te^ntory,  as  was  supposed,  containing 
about  five  hundred  thousand  acres,  embracing  not  only  the 
present  towns  of  Brunswick,  Topsham,  and  Harpswell,  but  ex- 
tending east  to  the  Kennebec  River.  The  boundaries  were, 
however,  so  indefinite,  as  to  cause  subsequently  much  litiga- 
tion." 

Under  Pres.  Danforth,  the  legislative  body  had  annual  meet- 
ings ;  and,  for  six  years,  th6  government  was  administered  to 
the  general  acceptance  of  the  inhabitants.  A  pretty  strong 
garrison  was  maintained  at  Fort  Loyal.  Much  attention  was 
paid  to  securing  to  proprietors  a  legal  title  to  their  lands. 
Fort  Loyal  became  the  jail  for  Saco,  Scarborough,  Falmouth, 
and  North  Yarmouth. 

In  the  spring  of  1685,  the  Indians  of  Maine  were  thrown  into 
a  terrible  panic  by  the  rumor  that  the  English  were  preparing 
to  send  an  army  of  ferocious  Mohawks  for  their  utter  extermi- 
nation. The  terror  was  profound  and  universal.  The  saga- 
more of  the  Penacook  tribe  wrote  imploringly  to  the  governor 
of  New  Hampshire,  saying,  — 

"If  you  will  not  let  the  Mohawks  come  and  kill  us,  we  will  be  submissive 
to  your  worship  forever." 

1  Political  Annals  of  the  United  Colonies,  by  George  Chalmers,  p.  404. 

«  Wharton  was  a  Boston  merchant.  He  aflarined  that  the  line  extended  from 
the  Upper  Falls  of  the  Androscoggin,  which  he  declared  to  be  Lewiston  Falls, 
entirely  across  the  country,  in  a  north-east  line,  to  the  Kennebec;  and  that  it  in- 
cluded all  land  between  the  two  rivers,  as  far  south  as  Merrymeeting  Bay  On  the 
west  it  embraced  territory  four  miles  wide  down  to  Maquoit.  It  also  included  the 
land  on  the  west  side  of  the  Kennebec,  south  of  Merrymeeting  Bay,  down  to 
Cape  Small  Point;  and  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sagadahoc,  to  the  ocean,  in- 
cluding Arrowsic,  and  several  other  islands.  —Summon/  of  British  Settlements  in 
iforth  America,  vol.  i.  p.  230. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


218 


Suspiciou  led  to  animosity  on  both  sides,  and  to  various  un- 
friendly acts.  Even  the  panic-stricken  flight  of  the  Indians 
was  deemed  an  indication  that  they  were  preparing  for  anothei 
war.  Capt.  Hook  of  Kittery  wrote  to  Capt.  Barefoot  of  Ports- 
mouth,  under  date  of  the  13th  of  August,  1685,  saying,  — 

"  From  information  received  by  a  foot-post,  there  are  just  grounds  for 
apprehending  some  designs  of  the  heathen  against  ua.  '  They  have,'  he 
says,  '  lately  been  guilty  of  affronts  in  the  vicinity  of  Saco,  threatening  the 
people,  and  killing  their  dogs;  and,  within  the  last  three  days,  they  have 
gathered  up  all  their  corn,  and  moved  off,  bag  and  baggage.'  " 

A  council  was  held,  which  was  promptly  attended  by  the 
sagamores,  who  declared  that  they  had  no  desire  for  war,  and 
wished  only  for  the  continuance  of  peace. 

The  sagamore  of  Penacook,  Kankamagus  by  name,  usually 
called  John  Hawkins,  or  Hoykins,  was  present.  He  had  written 
the  letter  to  Gov.  Cranfield  of  New  Hampshire,  to  which  we 
have  above  referred ;  and  it  was  signed  by  fourteen  of  his  princi- 
pal men.  He  lived  upon  the  Androscoggin,  with  another  dis- 
tinguished chief  by  the  name  of  Worombo,i  or  Worombos. 

The  chiefs  of  four  tribes  were  present  at  the  council.  They 
net  only  manifested  no  antagonistic  spirit,  but  seew^d  ready  to 
assent  to  any  terms  which  the  English  might  dictate.  They 
even  yielded  to  the  following  ext^-iordinary  demand,  that 

"Whenever  the  Indians  shall  remove  with  their  wives  and  children,  with- 
out giving  timely  notice  to  the  English,  they  may  be  apprehended,  or  war 
may  be  made  upon  them  till  the  sagamores  shall  render  satisfaction."  a 

1  "Kaiikamagus  was  a  faithful  man  as  long  as  he  could  depend  upon  the 
English  for  protection.  But  wlien  Gov.  Cranfleld  of  New  Hampshire  used  his 
endeavors  to  bring  down  the  Mohawks  to  destroy  the  eastern  Indians,  in  1084, 
who  were  constantly  stirred  up  by  the  French  to  commit  depredations  upon  the 
English,  Kankamagus,  knowing  the  Mohawks  made  no  distinction  where  they 
came,  fled,  and  joined  the  Androscoggius.  Before  he  fled  his  country,  be  addressed 
several  letters  to  the  governor,  which  discover  his  fidelity  as  well  as  his  fears, 
and  from  which  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  would  always  gladly  have  lived  in  his 
own  country,  and  on  the  most  intimate  and  friendly  terms  with  the  English,  —to 
whom  he  had  become  attached,  and  had  adopted  much  of  their  manner,'  and 
could  read  and  write,  —  but  for  the  reasons  just  stated."  — 7)ra&e's  Book  of  tht 
Indians,  book  ill.  p.  106. 

a  History  of  New  Hampshire.  By  Jeremy  Belknap,  vol.  i.  n.  18B.  See.  also, 
Hutchinson's  History,  vol.  i.  p.  316. 


r 


214 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■ 


Affairs  in  Massachusetts  were  in  rather  a  chaotic  condition. 
The  king  had  annulled  the  Colonial  Charter,  had  put  an  end  to 
the  General  Court,  and  had  appointed  Joseph  Dudley  president 
of  Massachusetts,  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and  Rhode  Island. 
Dudley  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  a  man  of  superior 
abilities,  and  of  boundless  ambition. 

After  a  brief  but  unpopular  administration  of  but  about  five 
months,  he  was  superseded  by  Sir  Edmund  Andros.  The  local 
government  in  Maine  now  ceased,  and  was  not  resumed  until 
1820,  when  Maine  was  finally  separated  from  Massachusetts.* 

Andros,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  been  the  appointed  gov- 
ernor of  the  Duke  of  York,  now  James  II.,  over  the  colonies  at 
the  mouths  of  the  Manhattan  and  the  Sagadahoc  Rivers.  He 
was  the  fitting  servant  of  his  master,  imperious  and  tyrannical. 
He  turned "  his  special  attention  to  his  Sagadahoc  province. 
He  took  formal  possession  of  the  country,  and  made  preparations 
to  defend  it  against  any  enemy,  whether  Indians,  French,  or 
Dutch.  Nothing  of  especial  interest  marked  his  administration. 
He  was  arrogant  and  tyrannical,  and  was  very  unpopular. 

In  1683  Andros  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Thomas  Dungan. 
He  was  a  much  better  man,  and  cherished  far  more  elevated 
views  of  human  rights,  and  still  he  was  at  a  very  considerable 
remove  from  the  Massachusett's  principles  of  republican  equality. 
In  New  York  he  convoked  a  legislative  assembly ;  but,  at  Sag- 
adahoc, he  appointed  two  commissioners,  John  Palmer  and 
John  West,  whom  he  invested  with  plenary  powers. 

In  1686  they  repaired  to  Pemaquid.  Manj  of  the  inhabitants, 
who  had  been  driven  from  their  homes  by  the  horrors  of  the 
war,  had  returned.  The  region  was  at  that  time  called  the 
County  of  Cornwall.  The  commissioners  proved  to  be  despotic 
men,  "  arbitrary  as  the  Grand  Turk."  »  They  contrived,  in  vari- 
ous ways,  to  extort  enormous  taxes  from  the  impoverished  and 
war-stricken  people.  They  took  especial  care  of  themselves 
and  friends,  appropriating  from  six  to  t^n  thousand  acres  of 
land  to  each.8    it  is  enough  to  make  one's  blood  boil  with 

>  History  of  Portland.    By  William  Willis,  p.  268. 
2  Mather's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  510. 
s  nutchinson's  Coiicetion,  p.  547. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


215 


indignation  to  contemplate  the  leaseholds  they  forced  from  the 
people,  and  the  rents  they  imposed  upon  them  for  the  occupa- 
tion of  their  own  homesteads.  Thus  they  wrested  from  these 
settlers  nearly  three  thousand  dollars  a  year. 

Mr.  Sullivan  gives  us  a  copy  of  one  of  these  leaseholds,  in- 
flicted upon  poor  John  Balling  of  Monhegan,  who  had  returned 
penniless  to  his  burnt  cabin  and  wild  lands.  It  is  drawn  up  with 
much  legal  formality,  in  the  name  of  "  Our  most  gracious  sove- 
reign lord,  James  II.,  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  England, 
Scotland,  France,  and  Ireland."  After  a  ludicrously  detailed 
account  of  the  premises,  John  Balling  is  authorized  to  plant 
his  corn  there,  upon  condition  of — 

•"  ^/®'f  °f  ^l^  P*^'"^  ^^^''^^^  y^^'^^y'  *"^  ^""^^  year,  unto  our  sove- 
reign lord  the  king,  his  heirs  or  successors,  or  to  such  governor  or  other 
officer  as  from  time  to  time  shall  be  by  him  or  them  appointed  to  receive  the 
same,  on  every  twenty-fifth  day  of  March  forever,  as  a  quit  rent,  or  acknowl- 
edgment for  the  said  land,  one  bushel  of  merchantable  wheat,  or  the  value 
thereof  m  money,  "i 

Bungan  claimed  the  country  as  far  east  as  the  River  St.  Croiy.« 
A  shipmaster  from  Piscataqua,  not  aware  of  this  claim,  and 
supposing  that  the  region  beyond  the  Penobscot  belonged  to 
the  French,  sent  a  cargo  of  wines  there.     As  they  were  landed, 
without  having  paid  duties  at  Pemaquid,  Palmer  and  West 
seized  and  confiscated  the  cargo.     This  roused,  not  only  the 
indignation  of  the  French,  but  that,  also,  of  the  Massachusetts 
people.     The  clamor  rose  so  loud,  that  the  wines  were  restored. 
Bungan's  administration   lasted   five  years.     He   influenced 
several  Butch  families  to  emigrate  to  the  Sagadahoc.     In  1688 
Sir  Edmund  Andros  was  appointed  captain-general  and  vice- 
admiral  of  New  England,  New  York,  and  the  Jerseys.     He 
formed  a  council  of  twenty-five  members,  five  of  whom  consti- 
tuted a  quorum.     AH  legislative,  judicial,  and  executive  func- 
tions were  blended  in  this  department.     There  were  no  consti- 
tutional limits.     The  governor  and  his  council  did   as   thev 
pleased.^  "^ 

X  Sullivan-8  History  of  Maine,  p.  163.        2  Hutchinson's  Collections,  p.  548. 

Conn«.Hr.  ,^  Z  "^T     ^f  f°^«; ^.^^  been  appointed  governor  of  Massachusetts. 
Uonnecticut,  New  Hampshire.  Maine.  PI  v7nn,it,ivP«mon,,:-i  „n-4  xt_ .^     ' 

SUp  374."        '^'^  "•^^'■"'"^  ^^eWemenM  in  North  America,  by  William 


216 


TBE  HISTORy  OF  MAINE. 


I 


The  governor  soon  developed  all  the  execrable  traits  of  a 
despot.  He  seldom  convened  more  than  seven  or  eight  of  his 
council,  aiid  they  were  all  the  pliant  instruments  of  his  will. 

The  Church  of  England  was  recognized  as  the  only  legal  form 
of  worship  ;  and  all  who  assembled  for  congregational  religious 
service  were  threatened  with  the  confiscation  of  their  meeting- 
houses. Freedom  of  the  press  was  restrained.  The  land-titles, 
generally,  were  declared  to  be  invalid ;  and  it  was  proclaimed 
that  new  title-deeds  must  be  obtained.  The  annoyances  to 
which  the  people  were  exposed  were  innumerab  e,  and  vexatious 

in  the  extreme. 

Andros  was  alike  greedy  of  wealth  and  of  despotic  powei. 
The  king,  James  II.,  from  whom  he  derived  all  his  authority, 
was  an  avowed  Papist.  But  the  people  of  England  were  not  in 
sympathy  with  their  monarch.  Desiring  to  take  military  pos- 
session of  the  Penobscot  and  the  St.  Croix,  Andros  repaired  to 
Pemaquid,  where  he  had  ordered  the  frigate  "  Rose  "  to  be  pre- 
pared for  his  expedition.  The  frigate,  having  sailed,  cast  anchor 
near  the  habitation  of  Baron  Castine,  at  Biguyduce.* 

The  baron,  with  his  family,  fled  into  the  woods,  abandoning 
every  thing.  The  ignoble  governor  plundered  his  house  of  all 
its  valuables ;  but  he  left  untouched  the  Catholic  chapel,  with 
all  its  rich  adornments. 

Andros  returned  to  Pemaquid,  where  he  had  invited  the 
neighboring  sagamores  to  meet  him.  They  met  in  council. 
Andros,  addressing  the  most  prominent  chief,  a  Tarratine^  sag- 
amore, said,  — 

«« I  warn  you  never  to  follow  the  French,  or  to  fear  them.  Be  quiet,  live 
in  peace,  and  we  will  protect  you.  Tell  your  friend  Castine,  that,  if  he 
will  render  loyal  obedience  to  the  King  of  England,  every  article  takeu  froni 
him  shall  be  restored." 

Andros  was  delighted  with  Pemaquid  and  its  surroundings. 
He  took  an  excursion  among  the  islands,  and  ascended  the 
Kennebec  several  leagues.  He  thought  that  Pemaquid  was 
destined  to  be  the  chief  mart  for  all  the  eastern  country,  and 

1  HutcWnson'9  Collection  of  State  Papers,  p.  662, 

a  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Tavratines  occupied  the  valley  of  the  Penob- 

■cot 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


217 


made  an  effort  to  have  an  account  taken  of  all  the  \7hite  in- 
habitants between  the  Penobscot  and  the  St.  Croix.  They 
amounted  to  less  than  fifty,  counting  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren.* 

Andros  returned  to  New  York  in  1688,  having  appointed 
Nicholas  Manning  chief  magistrate  in  the  "  Province  of  the 
Duke  of  York,  called  Sagadahoc,  or  the  County  of  Cornwall." 

Baron  Castine  was  a  man  of  great  influence,  not  only  with 
his  countrymen,  the  French,  but  with  all  the  neighboring  Indian 
tribes,  with  whom  he  had  so  thoroughly  identified  himself.  Hia 
indignation  was,  of  course,  aroused,  and  that  of  all  his  friends,  by 
the  wanton  plunder  of  his  estate.  He  appealed  to  the  Indians. 
War-clouds  soon  began  to  darken  the  sky.  Castine  declared 
that  he  would  never  submit  to  the  domination  of  the  English. 

Andros  began  to  enlist  soldiers,  and  to  erect  forts  at  many 
important  points  between  Piscataqua  and  Penobscot.  Hostilities 
were  commenced  in  August.  It  is  impossible  to  follow,  with 
chronological  accuracy,  the  details.  The  Indians  killed  the 
cattle  in  the  eastern  settlements,  and  insulted  and  threatened 
the  inhabitants.  At  Saco,  the  magistrates  unjustly  seized  fifteen 
or  twenty  unoffending  Indians,  and  held  them  as  hostages  for 
the  good  behavior  of  the  rest-  The  Indians  retaliated  by  seiz- 
ing some  Englishmen. 

Andros,  then  in  New  York,  wishing  to  try  the  effect  of  con- 
ciliatory measures,  ordered  the  Indian  prisoners  to  be  set  at 
liberty.  He  issued  a  pacific  proclamation.  But  all  was  in  vain. 
The  inhabitants  of  Maine  generally  took  refuge  in  garrison 
houses.  Stockades  were  constructed  in  North  Yarrcoufti,  on 
each  side  of  Royall  River.  A  party  engaged  in  constructing 
these  works  under  Capt.  Gendall.  A  band  of  seventy  or  eighty 
Indians  attacked  him.  He  repelled  them,  after  a  severe  con- 
flict, in  which  sever  1  were  slain  on  each  side.  This  was  the 
first  blood  which  was  spilled  in  what  was  called  the  second 
■war.  In  the  evening,  after  the  skirmish,  Capt.  Gendall  and  his 
servant  fell  into  an  ambuscade,  and  were  both  killed.  John 
Royall  was  taken  captive;  but  he  was  kindly  ransomed  by 
Baron  Castine.^ 


1  Collections  of  Massacliuaetts  Historical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  83,  3d  ser. 
a  History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  273. 


218 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAIHE. 


Early  in  November,  seven  hundred  English  soldiere  were  sent 
to  Pemaquid.*  About  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  men  were  left 
here  to  garrison  the  fort.  Garrisons  were  also  established  at 
several  other  places  along  the  coast.  P'ive  hundred  and  sixty 
soldiers  were  east  of  the  Kennebec.  The  troops  suffered  severely 
on  this  campaign,  while  they  encountered  not  a  single  Indian." 

Gov.  Andros  became  increasingly  unpopular  ;  and  his  author- 
ity in  the  distant  Province  of  Maine  was  subverted  by  a  popu- 
lar uprising  in  April,  1689,  in  Boston,  which  threw  the  governor 
and  thirty  of  his  most  obnoxious  partisans  into  prison.  The 
troops  revolted  from  their  oflBcers,  and  many  abandoned  their 
posts.  The  consequence  was,  that  the  Frencli  and  Indians  cap- 
tured the  fort,  and  almost  depopulated  the  country.  The  same 
disaster  took  place  at  New  Castle  and  Falmouth.^ 

At  Saco  the  Indians  were  re^jelled  ;  but  they  took  Dover 
by  surprise,  and  cruelly  slaughtered  many  of  the  inhabitants. 
We  have  no  reason  to  doubt  the  accuracy  of  the  following 
account  of  this  disaster,  given  by  Samuel  G.  Drake :  — 

"  The  Indians  rushed  into  Waldron's  house  in  great  numbers;  and,  while 
some  guarded  the  door,  others  commenced  the  slaughter  of  all  who  resisted. 
Waldron  was  now  eighty  years  of  age;  yet,  seizing  his  sword,  he  defended 
himself  with  great  resolution,  and  at  first  drove  the  Indiaup  before  him, 
from  room  to  room,  until  one,  getting  behind  him,  knocked  him  down  with 
his  hatchet.  They  now  seized  upon  him,  and,  dragging  him  into  the  great 
room,  placed  him  in  an  armed  chair,  upon  a  table. 

"  While  they  were  thus  dealing  with  the  master  of  the  house,  they  obliged 
the  family  to  provide  them  with  a  supper,  which  when  they  had  eaten,  they 
took  off  his  clothes,  and  proceeded  to  torture  him  in  tiie  most  dreadful  man- 
ner. Some  gashed  his  breast  with  knives,  saying,  '  I  cross  out  my  account.' 
Others  cut  off  joints  of  his  fingers,  saying,  '  Now  will  your  fist  weigh  a 
IK.und?"'* 

1  Willis,  following  Belkuap,  says  seven  Inmdred  ;  Holmes,  Am.  Ann.  p.  474, 
says  eight  hundred ;  Eliot  states  the  number  at  a  thousand. 

3  "  All  this  was  merely  a  military  movom'Mit,  or  display,  neither  the  result  of 
wisdom,  experience,  nor  sound  judgment,  j  I  ad  he  been  in  the  least  acquainted 
with  the  habits  of  the  Indians,  or  listened  even  to  the  statements  of  hunters,  he 
would  have  known  that  these  tenants  of  the  forest  retire  in  the  autumn  from 
the  seaboard,  and  pass  the  winter  upon  their  hunting-berths  in  the  interior  of  the 
wilderness." —  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  1XH>. 

Williamson  gives  a  list  of  eleven  settlements  along  the  coasi,  at  which  thesa 
troops  were  distributed. 

°  Massachusetts  Historical  Collections,  3d  sor.  p.  85. 

*  Drake's  Hook  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  108. 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Sl» 


After  continuing  this  torture  for  some  time^  they  let  him  fall 
upon  hitt  own  sword,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  his  misery.  Wal- 
dron  had  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  perfidious  and 
unpcrupulons  cheats  in  his  treatment  of  the  Indians.  Wheiv 
they  paid  him  what  was  due,  he  would  neglect  to  cross  out  their 
accounts.  In  buying  beaver-skins  by  weight,  he  insulted  the 
intelligent  Indians  by  insisting  that  his  fist  weighed  just  one 
pound.  The  day  of  retribution  came ;  and  the  savages  wreaked 
their  utmost  vengeance  vipon  their  victim.  They  held  the  place 
till  morning.  Then,  with  twenty-nine  captives  and  all  the 
plunder  they  could  carry  away,  they  set  out  for  Canada.  The^ 
French  ransomed  the  prisoners ;  and  they  were  eventually  re« 
turned  to  their  friends.^ 

Upon  the  overthrow  of  Andros,  the  assembled  people  ap- 
pointed a  council  of  thirty-seven  men  to  secure  the  public  safe- 
ty. A  few  weeks  after  this  great  revolution,  the  joyful  tidings^ 
reached  Boston,  that  the  tyrant  James  II.  had  been  diiven  from* 
his  throne  and  his  kingdom,  and  had  been  succeeded  by  William^ 
Prince  of  Orange. 

Maine  was  in  a  deplorable  condition.  Her  people  were  with- 
out any  settled  government,  and  were  involved  in  a  war  fron> 
which  they  could  reap  nothing  but  disasters ;  for  victory  could 
bring  them  no  gains.  The  Council  of  Safety,  apparently  with 
the  cordial  assent  of  the  people  of  Maine,  assumed  the  super- 
vision of  the  Ducal  Province. 

The  illustrious  chieftain  Madockawando,  whose  daughter,  it 
will  be  remembered,  married  Baron  Castine,  visited  Boston,  ac- 
companied by  several  sachems,  in  the  endeavor  to  secure  peace. 
Their  bearing  was  not  that  of  savages,  but  tliat  of  uneducated 
men  of  strong  common  sense,  who  thoroughly  understood  the 
true  posture  of  affairs.  The  chief,  Madockawando,  was  the 
principal  speaker.  The  substance  of  his  communication  was  as 
follows :  — 


>  "The  seizure  at  that  place  (Dover),  of  four  .hundred  Indians,  more  than 
twelve  years  before,  was  a  transaction  never  to  be  forgotten,  never  to  be  forgiven, 
by  savages.  Lapse  of  time  bad  only  wrought  their  resentment  into  animosities,, 
malice,  and  t''^v    and  an  opportunity  now  offered  to  satiate  their  revenge."  — 


■J/ V  If  .-  '.^w.  n A  4«       I.  < 


p.  610. 


sso 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


'•  Baron  Caatine  was  deeply  offended  by  the  unprovoked  attack  upon  his 
house,  and  the  plunder  of  his  premises.  The  French,  his  countrymen  re- 
garded it  as  a  national  insult  and  a  proclamation  of  war.  The  Indians  who 
had  adopted  Baron  Castine  into  their  tribe,  and  made  him  a  chief,  considered 
it  no  less  an  act  of  hostility  against  them.  Thus  a  terrible  war  must  I'age, 
unless  terms  of  peace  can  be  agreed  upon." 


The  government  treated  the  distinguished  Indian  envoys  with 
great  courtesy,  assuring  them  of  its  entire  disapproval  of  the 
conduct  of  Andros,  whom  the  people  had  ejected  from  office. 
They  loaded  the  chiefs  with  presents,  and  conveyed  them  home 
in  a  colony  sloop.  They  sent,  also,  a  very  conciliatory  letter  to 
Baron  Castine.  But  storms  of  war  were  rising  in  Europe,  which 
dashed  angry  billows  upon  the  shores  of  the  New  World. 

The  Papist,  James  II.,  had  fled  to  Catholic  France,  where  he 
was  received  with  open  arms.  War  was  the  consequence, 
imbittered  not  only  by  the  hereditary  hatred  between  English* 
men  and  Frenchmen,  but  by  the  still  more  virulent  antagonism 
which  arose  between  Protestantism  and  Catholicism.  France 
and  England  entered  with  equal  alacrity  upon  the  deadly  strug- 
gle.* The  patriotic  pride,  and  the  religious  fanaticism,  of  the 
French  in  Canada,  were  aroused  to  drive  the  heretical  English 
out  of  Maine.  It  was  not  difficult  for  them  to  rally  the  majority 
of  the  Indians  around  their  standards.  French  privateers  were 
promptly  upon  the  coast,  capturing  the  colonial  vessels.  It  is 
said,  we  know  not  upon  what  authority,  that  the  French  mis- 
sionaries exerted  all  their  powerful  influence  to  rouse  the  Indi- 
ans to  drive  the  English  out  of  Maine.  It  is  estimated  that  the 
French  in  New  France  then  numbered  over  eleven  thousand. 

The  General  Court,  which  had  received  the  cordial  sanction 
of  the  new  king,  William  of  Orange,  promptly  prepared  an 
expedition  to  regain  Nova  Scotia,  and  capture  Quebec.  Seven 
vessels,  manned  by  seven  hundred  men,  sailed  from  Boston  in  the 
spring  of  1690.     Sir  William  Phips  took  the  command. 

This  remarkable  man  was  a  native  of  Maine,  being  one  of  the 
youngest  of  his  mother's  family  of  twenty-six  children,  twenty- 

1  "War  was  declared  by  England  against  France  on  the  7th  of  May,  1689;  but 
tidings  of  the  proclamation  did  not  reach  Boston  until  Dec.  7."  —  Universal  History, 
vol.  xli.  p.  47. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


221 


one  of  whom  were  sons.  He  was  born  upon  the  Sheepscot,  in 
the  town  of  Woolwich,  on  the  2d  of  February,  1650.  His  father 
died  when  he  was  young ;  and  he  remained  with  his  mother,  in 
the  homestead,  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age. 

Favored  with  but  a  limited  education,  he  learned  the  trade 
of  a  ship-carpenter.  The  ravages  of  the  Indians  drove  him 
from  home ;  and  he  entered  upon  the  roving  life  of  a  sailor.  Ac- 
cidentally he  heard  that  a  Spanish  ship,  richly  laden  with  bars 
of  silver  from  the  mines,  had  been  wrecked  upon  one  of  the 
Bahamas.  He  succeeded  in  communicating  this  intelligence  to 
the  Duke  of  Albemarle.  An  expedition  was  fitted  out  to  re- 
cover the  treasure.  After  sundry  disappointments,  extraordinary 
success  crowned  the  endeavor.  Thirty-four  tons  of  silver,  be- 
sides gold,  pearls,  and  jewels,  were  raised  from  a  depth  of  nearly 
fifty  feet.  The  estimated  value  was  one  million,  three  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  share  of  William  Phips  amounted  to  seventy  thousand 
dollars.  The  Duke  of  Albemarle  presented  Mrs.  Phips  a  golden 
cup  worth  four  thousand  dollars.  The  King  of  England  con- 
ferred upon  the  successful  adventurer  the  honor  of  knighthood, 
and  appointed  him  high  sheriff  of  New  England.  James  II. 
was  then  king  of  England;  and  Sir  Edn-und  Andros  was  in 
power.^ 

The  fleet  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  29th  of  April.  It  con- 
sisted of  a  frigate  of  forty  guns,  two  sloops-of-war  (one  carry- 
ing sixteen,  and  the  other  eight  guns),  and  four  ketches,  which 
were  small  vessels,  schooner  rigged,  of  about  two  hundred  tons* 
burden.*  The  squadron  proceeded  first  to  Port  Royal.  The 
garrison  there  was  in  no  condition  to  resist  so  powerful  a  force, 
and  8'    "endered  at  discretion  .^ 

Sir  y/illiam  took,  as  prisoners-of-war,  the  military  governor, 

1  Mather's  Magnolia,  voL  li.  pp.  lCl-208.  Collection  of  State  Papers.  By 
Thomas  Hiitcblnson,  p.  363. 

•  Universal  History,  vol.  xl.  p.  62. 

•  "  Du  Mont,  having  received  a  commission  as  lieutenant-general  of  France, 
fitted  out  an  expedition,  with  whicli  be  sailed  along  the  coast  of  Maine,  formed  a 
temporary  settlement  at  the  month  of  the  lliver  St.  Croix,  where  his  company 
spent  one  winter,  and  then  established  a  colony  on  the  other  side  of  the  Bay  of 
Fundy,  at  a  place  which  they  named  Port  Royal,  and  now  called  Annapolis. 
This  was  in  ths  year  1fi04,"  =  History  of  Portland,  by  William  V/illis,  p.  10. 


222 


THE  BI8T0HY  OF  MAtSE. 


M.  Maneviil,  and  thirty-eight  soldiers.  He  then  ran  back, 
south-westerly  along  the  coast  of  Maine  toward  the  Penobscot, 
capturing  all  the  French  posts  oti  the  way,  and  taking  possession 
of  the  islands.  He  appointed  a  governor  over  the  province  so 
easily  conquered,  and  returned  to  Boston  with  his  prisoners,  and 
with  sufficient  plunder,  as  ho  judged,  to  defray  all  the  expenses 
of  the  expedition.' 

The  French  population  of  the  subjugated  province  was  sup- 
posed to  be  between  two  and  three  thousand  souls.'  They  hated 
the  English  ;  and  the  tribes  under  their  influence  sympathized 
with  them  in  these  hostile  feeling.-. 

Flushed  with  victory,  New  England  and  New  York  combined 
to  root  out  all  the  French  colonies  in  Nova  Scotia  and  Canada. 
Four  thousand  men  were  easily  enlisted  to  enter  upon  the  pop- 
ular enterprise.  Sir  William  Phips,  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
commodore,  commanded  the  fleet,  containing  two  thousand 
men.  Quebec  was  its  point  of  destination.  The  other  half 
•of  the  army,  under  Major-Gen.  John  Winthrop  of  Connecticut, 
marched  across  the  country  to  attack  Montreal. 

The  fleet  sailed  on  the  19th  of  August,  1690.  It  was  not  until 
the  5th  of  October,  that  the  vessels  cast  anchor  before  Quebec. 
Count  Frontenac,  a  haughty  but  able  French  nobleman,  was 
governor.  To  a  summons  to  surrender,  he  returned  the  singular 
reply,  ~ 

"  You  and  your  countrymen  are  heretics  and  traitors.  New  England  and 
Canada  wonld  be  one,  had  not  the  friendship  been  destroyed  by  your  revolu- 
tion."* 

In  this  he  referred  to  the  revolution  in  England,  which  had 
■driven  the  Papist,  James  II.,  into  Fra  ice,  and  had  placed  the 
Protestant,  William  of  Orange,  on  the  throne,  and  had  thus 
inaugurated  the  war.  A  landing  was  effected  about  four  miles 
below  the  town.  Both  the  naval  and  the  land  forces  commenced 
a  furious  cannonade.    But  the  IB'rench  fought  with  courage  and 

1  Mather's  Magnalla,  p.  522. 

3  Hutohinaun's  Historical  Collections,  vol.  iL  p.  19.    Holmes,  in  his  American 
Annals,  vol.  i.  p.  474,  estimates  the  number  at  between  three  and  four  thousand. 
3  HutcLJusuu's  Ulitiury  u£  MaSsauLus«iii8,  vuL  L  p.  3oC. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


223 


skill,  and  were  greatly  aided  in  theii-  attack  upon  the  land-force 
by  their  Indian  allies. 

The  trooprt  were  defeated,  and  were  driven  precipitately  on 
board  the  ships,  Quebec  was  found  far  better  armed  with 
heavy  guns  than  had  been  supposed.  The  fleet  suffered  more 
than  the  French  works  from  the  cannonade.  A  general  feeling 
of  depression  spread  through  the  English  troops.  The  enter- 
prise was  abandoned ;  and  the  vessels  spread  their  sails  to  return. 
To  add  to  their  disasters,  the  elements  seemed  to  combine 
against  them.  A  violent  tempest  struck  the  fleet.  Several 
vessels,  as  they  were  emerging  from  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence, were  sunk,  and  others  blown  out  to  sea. 

It  was  not  until  the  19th  of  November,  that  the  residue  of  the 
shattered  squadron  reached  Boston.  Between  two  and  three 
hundred  men  were  lost  by  the  casualties  of  war  during  this 
unfortunate  expef^iticp.* 

Gen.  Wiuthrop  was  equally  unsuccessful.  Led  by  forty  Mo- 
hawk warriors,  he  struggled  through  the  forest  to  the  shores  of 
Lake  Champlain.  Here,  finding  himself  unable  to  transport 
his  army  across  the  lake,  he  also  abandoned  the  enterprise,  and, 
with  his  humiliated  army,  returned,  having  accomplished  noth- 
ing.' 

In  the  mean  time,  the  war  with  the  Indians  and  French  com- 
bined was  raging  throughout  Maine ;  and  the  land  was  filled 
with  lamentation  and  mourning. 

1  Accordlug  to  Mather's  Magnalla,  vol  iL  p.  522,  the  fleet  consisted  of  thirty- 
two  saiL 

•  Trumbull's  History  of  Oonneotluut,  vol.  IL  p.  38a 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


■ 


CAMPAIGNS  IN  THE  WILDERNESS. 

Character  of  Indian  Warfare  —  Expedition  of  Capt.  Church  —  Battle  at  Pal- 
mouth— The  Sacli  of  Berwiclt  — The  Massacre  at  Falmouth  —  Church  at 
Pejepscot  —  Incidents  of  the  Campaign— Indian  Gratitude— The  Truce— 
Deplorable  Condition  of  Maine— The  Disaster  at  York— Heroic  Dsfence  of 
Wells  —  Church's  Third  Expedition  —  New  Efforts  for  Peace. 

IT  will  be  remembered,  that,  in  the  year  1678,  Massachusetts 
had  purchased  of  Mr.  Gorges  the  Province  of  Maine,  for 
the  sum  of  twelve  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling.  King 
James  II.  protested  af  'inst  this  sale.  It  was,  however,  ratified, 
in  the  year  1691,  by  King  William,  in  a  charter  which  included 
not  only  what  had  been  called  the  Province  of  Maine,  but  also 
the  more  easterly  provinces  of  Sagadahoc  and  Nova  Scotia.^ 

We  must  now  retrace  the  time  for  a  few  months.  There 
were  many  intelligent  men  among  the  Indians ;  and  they  saga- 
ciously succeeded  in  forming  a  very  remarkable  union  of  the 
several  tribes. 

The  Indians  always  proved  to  be  a  prowling,  skulking  foe, 
never  venturing  to  meet  their  adversaries  in  the  open  field. 
They  hid  behind  fences,  stumps,  rocks,  and,  waylaying  the  Eng- 
lish, would  shoot  them  down,  strip  off  their  scalps,  and  dis- 
appear in  the  forest.  They  would  watch  all  night  to  shoot  a 
settler  as  he  came  from  his  cabin  in  the  dawn  of  the  morning. 
Four  young  men  went  out  together ;  and  the  invisible  Indians 
shot  them  all  down  at  a  single  fire.  A  well-armed  party  of 
twenty-four  went  out  to  bury  them.  The  Indians  rose  from 
ambush ;  and  after  a  severe  conflict,  having  shot  down  six,  the 


a  Willis'B  Hiatory  of  Poiiiand,  p,  222 


224 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


225 


savages  fled  into  the  woods.  The  activity  of  these  people  was 
80  great,  and  their  depredations  so  incessant  and  terrible,  that 
nearly  all  the  settlements,  and  even  garrisons,  east  of  Falmouth, 
were  abandoned;  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  sought  refuge  in 
the  stronger  fortresses  upon  the  Piscataqua. 

For  the  protection  of  the  despairing  people  of  Maine,  Massa- 
chusetts sent  to  their  aid  an  army  of  six  hundred  men.  The 
troops  were  rendezvoused  at  Berwick,  then  called  NewichaWan- 
nock.  There  were  ninety  Natick  Indians  in  the  party.  Major 
Benjamin  Church,  a  man  who  subsequently  gained  great  renown 
in  those  wars,  joined  a  detachment  of  these  troops  at  Falmouth, 
with  two  hundred  and  fifty  volunteers,  a  part  of  whom  were 
friendly  Indians. 

The  report  came,  that  seven  hundred  Indians,^  with  many 
Frenchmen  associated  with  them,  were  on  the  march  to  attack 
Falmouth.  Major  Church,  who  was  well  acquainted  with  the 
Indian  mode  of  fighting,  landed  his  troops  secretly,  in  the  night, 
and  concealed  them  in  a  thick  growth  of  bushes,  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  town.  A  severe  battle  soon  took  place,  after  the 
Indian  fashion,  in  which  both  parties  displayed  great  skill  and 
bravery.  The  Indians  finally  retreated,  after  having  killed  or 
wounded  twenty-one  of  their  assailants,^  six  of  whom  were  In- 
dians in  alliance  with  the  English.  The  loss  sustained  by  the 
Indians  is  not  known.  Major  Church  wrote  to  the  governor  of 
Massachusetts,  under  date  of  Sept.  27,  1689,^  — 

*•  We  know  not  yet  what  damage  we  did  to  the  enemy  in  our  last  engage- 
ment. But  several  things  that  they  left  behind  them  on  their  flight,  we 
found  yesterday;  which  were  gun-cases  and  stockings,  and  other  things  of 


1  "  Such  was  the  statement  of  Mrs.  Lee,  a  daughter  of  Major  "Waldron,  who  had 
Jnst  been  ransomed  from  the  Indians.  Sullivan  also  says  seven  hundred.  Mr. 
Willis  thinks  this  number  overestimated.  Capt.  Davis  of  Falmouth  states  the 
nJimber  to  have  been  between  three  and  four  hundred."—  ffjatory  of  Portland,  by 
William  WillU,  p.  277. 

2  Church's  Expedition,  pp.  89, 106. 

8  "There  is  no  account  of  this  action,  excepting  what  Church  gives  in  his  His- 
tory. He  has  described  the  place  where  it  happened,  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  is 
■very  difficult  now  to  fix  upon  it  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  It  is  clear  that  the 
Indians  must  either  have  gone  up  Fore  River,  and  landed  above  the  town,  or  have 
gone  up  Back  Cove,  and  landed  at  the  head  of  it,  Tlie  latter  may  be  believed  the 
most  probable."  —Sullivan't  History  of  Maine,  p.  202. 
16 


_,^    ~- ' — "-- — ^ 

226 

THE 

HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 

some  value,  together 

with  other  signs, 

that  make  us  think  that 

we 

did  them 

considerable  damage 

."1 

From  this  point,  Major  Church  advanced,  in  his  vessels,  to  the 
Kennebec,  which  he  ascended  for  some  distance.  He  visited 
several  garrisons,  and,  returning,  left  sixty  soldiers  at  Fort 
Loyal,  and  then  sailed  for  Boston.  Capt.  Hall  was  left  in  com- 
mand of  the  garrison.  The  terror-stricken  people,  apprehen- 
sive that  the  savages  would  return  with  increased  numbers,  and 
inflict  terrible  vengeance,  entreated  Major  Church  to  take  them 
away  in  his  transports.  But  he  persuaded  them  to  remain,  with 
the  assurance  that  efficient  aid  should  be  promptly  sent  them 
from  Boston.  Upon  his  arrival  there,  he  labored  hard,  but  in 
vain,  to  redeem  his  pledge. 

Berwick  had  revived,  and  contained  about  twenty-seven 
houses.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1690,  a  party  of  French  and 
Indians,  having  laid  waste  the  settlement  at  Salmon  Falls,  made 
an  attack  upon  Berwick.  The  assailants  consisted  of  fifty-two 
men,  twenty-five  being  Indians,  and  the  remainder  Frenchmen.* 
As  usual,  the  attack  was  commenced  by  surprise,  in  the  earliest 
dawn  of  the  morning.  The  Indians  were  led  by  a  renowned 
chief,  called  Hopehood.*  The  French  commander  was  a  Cana- 
dian officer  of  distinction,  by  the  name  of  Artel,  or  Hartel  as  it 
is  sometimes  spelled. 

The  English  fought  Avith  the  energies  of  despair.  When 
almost  every  man  (thirty-four  in  number)  had  been  shot  down, 
the  women  and  children  were  compelled  to  surrender.  The 
victors  wantonly  shot  the  cattle,  laid  all  the  bfiiildings  in  ashes, 
and  with  fifty-four  captives,  and  all  the  plunder  they  could 
carry,  retreated. 

A  force  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  hastily  collected,  at- 

1  Willis's  History  of  Portland,  p.  280,  quoting  from  Hutchinson  Papers. 

3  Mather  writes,  "  Being  half  one,  and  half  t'other;  half  Indianized  French, 
and  half  Frenchified  Indians." 

*  "Hopehood  was  a  celebrated  chief  of  the  tribe  of  the  Kennebeks,  generally 
known  as  the  Nerigwoks  (Norndgewock).  His  Indian  name  seems  to  have  been 
Wohawa. "  —  Z>ra*;e'«  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  109. 

"Many  of  the  natives  had  both  an  Indian  and  an  English  name.  Hopehood  was 
a  son  of  the  celebrated  Kegusset  sagamore,  called  Bobinhood,  but  whose  Indian 
name  was  Bamegin." — Drake,  book  iil.  p.  97. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


227. 


tracted  by  the  smoke  of  the  burning  village,  pursued  the  united 
band  of  civilized  and  uncivilized  savages.  The  plunderers, 
encumbered  with  booty  and  prisoners,  were  overtaken  aa  they 
were  attempting  to  cross  a  small  stream  called  Wooster  River. 
A  fierce  battle  ensued,  which  lasted  till  the  darkness  of  night: 
set  in.  Several  were  slain  on  each  side.  But  it  would  appear 
that  during  the  night  the  marauders  escaped.- 

In  May  the  French  and  Indians  organized  another  expedition 
against  Falmouth.  Between  four  and  five  hundred  men  com- 
menced the  attack  of  the  16th  of  May,  1690.  Prowling  bands 
had  been  for  some  t^me  seen  around,  which  led  to  the  suspicion 
that  the  foe  was  preparing  to  strike  them  by  surprise. 

Thirty  young  men  volunteered  to  march  out  on  a  reconnois- 
sance.  Lieut.  Thaddeus  Clark  led'  Dhem,  and  led  them  into  an 
ambush.  They  climbed  Munjoy's  Hill,  when  suddenly  a  volley 
of  bullets  was  discharged  upon  them  by  invisible  assailants, 
concealed  behind  a  fence.  That  one  discharge  cut  down  nearly 
half  their  number,  including  their  commander.  The  remainder 
fled  in  consternation  to  their  fortifications,  pursued  by  the 
French  and  Indians,  filling  the  air  with  yells. 

There  were,  in  addition  to  Fgrt  Loyal,  four  garrison-houses 
in  the  town.  All  the  people  who  were  unable  to  effect  a  retreat 
to  one  of  these  fortresses  were  either  killed  or  captured.  The : 
assailants,  after  plundering  the  houses,  set  them  on  fire.  They 
then  combined  all  their  energies  to  storm  the  forts.  For  four: 
days  and  four  nights,  they  kept  up  almost  a  constant  fire,  dis- 
playing much  military  skill  in  their  approaches.     We  give  the 


1  In  this  caae,  as  usual,  there  is  a  slight  disci-epancy  in  the  details,  as  given  by ; 
the  early  annalists.    Drake  writes,  —  * 

"  Hopeliood  had  joined  twenty-two  Frenchmen,  under  Hertel,  with  twenty-flve ' 
of  his  warriors.    Thes  attacked  the  place,  as  snon  as  it  was  day,  in  three  places. 
The  people  defended  themselves  as  well  as  they  were  able,  in  their  consternation, 
until  about  thirty  of  their  best  men  were  slain,  when  they  gave  themselves  up  to , 
,the  mercy  of  the  besiegers.    Sixty-four  men  were  carried  away  captive,  and  much  , 
plunder.    They  burned  all  the  houses,  and  the  barns  with  the  cattle  in  them.   The 
number  of  buildings  thus  destroyed  is  unknown,  but  was  perhaps  thirty,  and 
perhaps  two  hundred  head  of  cattle." — Drake,  book  lii.  p.  109. 

Charlevoix,  in  his  History  of  New  France,  says  that  two  thousand  cattle  were 
burnt  in  the  barns. 

I  give  the  narrative  in  the  text  as  recorded  by  Belknap,  vol.  L  p.  207,  and  the 
very  accurate  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  019. 


I 


228 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


result,  not  in  the  words,  but  in  accordance  with  the  facts  con- 
tained in  the  oflBcial  report  of  Capt.  Davis ;  which  document  is 
on  file  in  the  Massachusetts  office  of  State. 

The  conflict  commenced  with  the  dawn  of  the  16th.  It  raged 
until  the  afternoon  of  the  20th.  Nearly  all  the  inmates  of  the 
garrison  were  then  slain.  Either  the  French  were  dressed  as 
Indians,  or  had  so  concealed  themselves,  that  the  English  could 
not  tell  whether  there  were  any  of  that  nation  in  the  savage 
band  assailing  them.  They,  therefore,  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  that 
they  might  ascertain  whether  they  could,  by  a  surrender,  hope 
to  save  the  lives  of  the  survivors.  Thus  they  learned  that  there 
were  many  Frenchmen  in  the  party ;  and  they  were  promised, 
that,  as  a  condition  of  surrender,  the  lives  of  all  should  be 
spared,  and  that  they  should  be  conducted,  under  guard,  to  the 
next  English  town,  where  they  should  be  set  at  liberty.  The 
French  commander  took  a  solemn  oath,  by  the  ever  living  God, 
that  the  articles  of  the  capitulation  should  be  sacredly  per- 
formed.^ 

The  gates  were  thrown  open,  and  the  savages  rushed  in. 
Awful  was  the  scene  which  ensued.  Mons.  Burneffe  had  prob- 
ably lost  all  control  over  his  ferocious  allies.  No  respect  what- 
ever was  paid  to  the  terms  of  the  surrender.  There  were 
seventy  living  men  within  the  garrison,  many  of  whom  were 
wounded,  and  a  large  number  of  women  and  children.  Nearly 
all  were  slaughtered,  and  many  with  inhuman  tortures. 

The  French  rescued  Capt.  Davis,  and  succeeded  in  saving 
the  lives  of,  some  say  fifty,  others  say  a  hundred  prisoners.  It 
seems  to  have  been  a  custom  among  the  Indians  to  put  to  death 
as  many  of  their  captives  as  they  themselves  had  lost  in  the 
conflict.2    The  whole  village  was  laid  in  ashes.     The  dead  were 

1  "  The  French  ami  Indians  were  under  the  command  of  M.  Burneffe,  a  Cana- 
dian oflBcer.  His  lieutenant  was  M.  Cort€  de  March.  Most  of  the  French  troops 
were  from  Quebec,  under  Capt.  M.  de  Portneuf.  Tlie  Indians  were  led  by  Baron 
Gastine  and  his  son-in-law,  Madookawando.  They  came  to  Casco  Bay  in  a  large 
fleet  of  canoes.  Charlevoix  gives  the  command  of  the  expedition  to  Portneuf, 
and  dates  the  surrender  on  the  27th.  In  both  of  these  statements  he  is  doubtless 
incorrect."  — See  Letter  of  Capt.  Davis  in  Collections  of  Afassachnsetts  Historical  So- 
ciety, vol.  i.  3  ser.,  p.  104. 

2  "When  the  prisoners  marched  out  ol  I  he  fort,  fifty  in  all,  the  savages  raised 
a  shout,  fell  upon  them  with  hatchet  and  bword,  and  killed  all  except  four;  and 
these  were  woimded." — Hisioiro  at  Disi.  Gun  de  ia  Noutcllc  France,  par  Pere  da 
Charlevoix,  vol.  iii.  p.  78. 


.-:      ,    .|||:Tr-i 


230 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE 


left  unburied.  The  number  slain  in  this  awful  massacre  is  not 
known.  The  French,  after  participating  in  this  demoniac  deed, 
commenced  their  march  back  to  Canada. 

"  I  must  say,"  writes  Capt.  Davis,  "  they  were  kind  to  me  in 
my  travels  through  the  country.  Our  provisions  were  very 
short,  —  Indian  corn  and  adorns.  Hunger  made  it  very  good, 
and  God  gave  it  strength  to  nourish." 

Davis  was  a  i^'lj  ler-of-war  in  Quebec  for  four  months, 
when  Sir  William  t'h.ps  effected  his  exchange  for  a  Frenchman 
The  capture  of  Falmouth  was  a  terrible  disaster.  The  victori- 
ous Indians  scattered  in  all  directions,  perpetrating  the  most 
horrible  deeds  of  cruelty  and  crime.  Many  of  them  were 
demons  in  character,  and  recoiled  from  no  horror.  The  cruel- 
ties they  often  committed  are  too  revolting  to  be  described. 
Even  the  recital  brings  torture  to  the  soul. 

From  all  the  feebler  garrisons  the  people  fled  in  dismay,  west- 
ward, and  took  refuge  in  Stoker's  strong  garrisons  at  Wells.' 
The  government  sent  them  re-enforcements,  with  directions  to 
make  a  stand  there,  and  resist  all  attacks. 

The  valiant  Major  Church  was  despatched  with  another  expe- 
dition, of  three  hundred  men,  to  visit  Casco  and  Pejepscot,  to 
chastise  the  Indians,  and  regain  captives,  if  possible.  This  was 
early  in  September,  1690.  He  landed  at  Maquoit,  and  marched 
at  night  across  the  country  to  Pejepscot  ^  Fort,  which,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  located  west  of  the  Androscoggin,  at  the 
Pejepscot  Falls.  The  Indians  held  possession  of  the  fort.  The 
accompanying  illustration  shows  the  appearance  of  these  cele- 
brated falls,  after  the  lapse  of  nearly  two  centuries. 

A  watchful  eye  discerned  the  coming,  and  spread  the  alarm. 
The  savages  fled  in  all  directions,  leaving  several  English  cap- 
tives behind.  One  Indian  man  was  taken,  with  a  few  women 
and  several  children.  The  horrors  perpetrated  by  the  savages 
had  created  great  exasperation  against  them.     Church's  men 

1  "  No  other  town  in  the  province  was  so  well  provided  with  houses  of  refuge 
as  Wells.  This  was  due  to  the  prudent  foresight  of  Storer  and  Wheelwright. 
There  were  here  Moven  or  eight  garrisons,  some  of  them  huilt  in  the  best  manner, 
against  assaults  from  without,  and  for  the  protection  and  comfort  of  those  with- 
in."—  History  of  Wells  and,if«fine6t*nfc,  hy  Edward  E.  Bourne,  LL.D.  p.  196. 

«  Williamson  spells  tliis  both  Pejepscot  and  Pegypscot,  pp.  37,  724. 


TnS  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


231 


were  about  to  put  the  man  to  death,  when  the  female  white 
captives,  who  had  thus  been  rescued,  earnestly  pleaded  for  his 
life.  They  said  that  he  had  ever  been  kind  to  them,  and  had 
several  times  saved  them  and  others  from  death. 

The  wives  of  two  of  the  distinguished  sagamores,  Kankama- 
gus*  and  Worumbee,  were  among  the  prisoners.  As  they 
promised  that  eighty  English  captives  should  be  surrendered 
for  their  ransom,  their  lives  were  spared,  and  they  were  sent  to 
the  garrisons  at  Wells.  The  sister  of  Kankamagus  was  slain. 
Worumbee's  two  children  were  carried,  with  their  mother,  into 
captivity.  Mr.  Drake  quotes  the  following  statement  from  a 
manuscript  letter  written  at  that  time  by  Major  Church,  and 
addressed  to  Gov.  Hinckley  of  Plymouth :  — 

"  We  left  two  old  squaws  that  were  not  able  to  march;  gave  them  victuals 
enough  for  one  week,  of  their  own  corn,  boiled,  and  a  little  of  our  provis- 
ions;  and  buried  their  dead,  and  left  clothes  enough  to  keep  them  warm, 
and  left  the  wigwams  for  them  to  lie  in ;  gave  them  orders  to  teU  their  friends 
how  kind  we  were  to  them,  bidding  them  to  do  the  like  to  om-s.  Also,  if 
they  were  for  peace,  to  come  to  Goodman  Small's  at  Berwick,  within  four- 
teen days,  who  would  attend  to  discourse  them."  » 

This  capture  upon  the  Androscoggin  took  place  on  Sunday, 
Sept.  14, 1690.  The  victors  retired  with  five  English  captives, 
whom  they  had  rescued,  and  nine  Indians  prisoners. 

Major  Church  and  his  victorious  party,  about  forty  in  num- 
ber, ascended  the  Androscoggin  seven  miles,  to  another  Indian 
fort.  There  he  killed  twenty-one  Indians,  took  one  a  prisoner, 
and  rescued  seven  English  captives.  T^-.e  torch  was  applied, 
and  the  works  laid  in  ashes.  The  single  savage  whose  life  was 
spared  was  a  gigantic  fellow,  Agamcus,  who  was  nicknamed 

1  "  Kankamagus,  commonly  called  Hoykins,  Hawkins,  or  Haklns,  was  a  Pen- 
nacook  sachem.  He  was  faithful  to  the  English  as  long  as  he  could  depend  upon 
them  for  protection.  Wheu  the  ten-ible  Mohawks  were  sent  to  destroy  the  east- 
ern Indians,  he  fled  westerly  to  the  Androscoggin.  Here  he  and  another  sachem, 
called  Worumbee,  lived  with  their  families.  He  could  speak  and  write  EngUah 
His  several  letters  to  Gov.  Canfield  prove  his  fidelity.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that 
he  would  have  been  true  to  the  English,  had  they  been  true  to  him."  -  DraAe'a 
Book  of  the  Indiana,  book  iii.  p.  106. 

«  Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  108. 


232 


THE  HISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


Great  Tom.'  On  the  march  he  escaped,  and  carried  to  the 
Indians  such  reports  of  the  strength  and  prowess  of  Major 
Church's  troops,  that  they  retired  far  back  into  the  interior 
wilderness.' 

Church  sailed  along  the  coast,  touching  at  various  points,  and 
inflicting  all  the  injury  he  could  upon  the  Indians.  It  was, 
however,  not  often  that  they  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  strike 
a  blow.  On  the  2l8t  of  September,  he  landed  three  companies 
on  Purpooduck.'  Here  a  strong  band  of  Indians  fiercely  as- 
sailed him.  He  repelled  them  with  the  loss  of  five  of  his  own 
men,  after  having  slain  eight  or  ten  Indians,  and  taken  thirteen 
canoes.  Major  Church  afterwards  learned,  from  a  returned 
captive,  that  the  savages  put  just  as  many  English  prisonera  to 
a  cruel  death  as  they  had  lost  in  the  conflict. 

In  October,  ten  sagamores  went  to  Wells,  where  the  captive 
women  and  children  were  restored  to  them.  They  expressed 
unbounded  gratitude  in  view  of  the  kindness  with  which  they 
had  been  treated,  and  declared  their  earnest  desire  for  peace. 
"  We  are  ready,"  they  said,  "  at  any  time  and  place  you  may 
appoint,  to  meet  your  head  men,  and  enter  into  a  treaty." 

On  the  29th  of  November,  a  truce  between  the  Massachu- 
setts commissioners  and  six  sagamores  was  signed.  It  would 
appear  that  there  was  much  diflSculty  in  agreeing  upon  the 
terras  on  which  hostilities  should  gease.  The  Indians  had  even 
abandoned  the  council,  and  retired  to  their  canoes,  before  terms 
were  offered  them  which  they  were  willing  to  accept.  The 
truce  was  to  continue  through  the  winter,  until  the  1st  of  May, 
when  they  promised  to  visit  Stover's  garrison,  in  Wells,  to  bring 

1  We  hope  that  the  following  statement  made  by  Mr.  Williamson  is  a  mistake. 
"  The  wives  of  the  two  sagamores  and  their  children  were  saved.  But  it  is  pain- 
ful to  relate,  and  no  wise  creditable  to  the  usual  hiimanity  of  Major  Church,  that 
the  rest  of  the  females,  except  two  or  three  old  squaws,  also  the  unoffending  chil- 
dren, were  put  to  the  tomahawk  or  sword."  —Vol.  i.  p.  625. 

a  "  Many  Indians  bore  the  name  of  Tom.  Indian  Hill  in  Newbury  was  owned 
by  Great  Tom,  He  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  last  Indian  proprietor  of  lands 
in  that  town.  In  written  instruments  he  styles  himself, —  I  Great  Tom,  In- 
dian.' "—Drake,  book iii.  p.  114. 

«  The  first  inhabitants  of  Cape  Elizabeth,  which  is  separated  from  the  penin- 
sula by  Fore  River,  seated  themselves  opposite  to  the  harbor,  upon  ~^irpooduck 
Point;  from  which  the  plantation,  commencing  forty-four  years  prior  to  King 
Philip's  war,  derived  its  name."  —  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  377. 


rUE  UJSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


288 


in  all  the  English  captives  they  held,  and  to  establish  a  perma- 
nent peace. 

The  condition  of  Maine  at  this  time  was  deplorable  in  the 
extreme.  All  the  settlements  were  devastated,  but  four.  Those 
were  Wells,  York,  Kittery,  and  the  Isle  of  Shoals.  At  the 
appointed  time,  Pres.  Danforth,  with  quite  an  imposing  reti- 
nue on  horseback,  repaired  to  the  strong  garrison.  But,  for 
some  unexplained  reason,  the  sagamores  did  not  appear.'  Some 
attributed  it  to  the  influence  of  the  French.  It  is  more  proba- 
ble that  they  feared  treachery.  During  the  winter,  the  English 
had  been  preparing  to  strike  heavy  blows,  should  the  war  be 
renewed.  The  wary  Indians,  through  their  scouts,  kept  them- 
selves informed  of  every  movement. 

Capt.  Converse,  who  had  command  of  the  troop  of  horse, 
sent  out  a  detachment,  who  brought  in  a  few  of  the  neighbor- 
ing chiefs.  To  the  inquiry  why  the  sagamores  did  not  come  in, 
according  to  the  agreement,  to  ratify  the  treaty,  they  returned 
the  unsatisfactory  reply,  — 

"  We  did  not  remember  the  time.  But  we  now  bring  in  and  deliver 
up  two  captives.  We  promise  certainly  to  surrender  the  rest  within  ten 
days."' 

The  chiefs  were  permitted  to  roturn  to  their  homes.  Ten 
days  passed  away;  but  no  Indians  appeared.  Apprehensive 
that  an  attack  was  meditated,  Pres.  Danforth  returned  to  York, 
and  sent  a  re-enforcement  of  thirty-five  soldiers  to  strengthen 
the  garrison  at  Wells.  They  arrived  on  the  9th  of  June,  1692. 
It  was  none  too  soon. 

In  one  half-hour  after  their  arrival,  a  band  of  two  hundred 
savages  made  a  fierce  but  unsuccessful  attack  upon  the  garrison. 
The  only  account  we  have  of  this  battle  is  the  following :  — 

*'  We  have  intelligence  that  the  eastward  Indians  and  some  French  have 
made  an  assault  upon  the  garrisons  in  and  near  the  town  of  Wells,  and  have 

1  "The  reason  of  this  we  cannot  explain,  unless  the  warlike  appearance  of  the 
English  deterred  them.  After  waiting  a  while,  Capt.  Convei-se  surprised  some  of 
them,  and  brought  them  in  by  force.  Having  reason  to  believe  the  Indians  pro- 
voked by  this  time,  he  immediately  added  thirty-flve  men  to  their  fhis)  force." 
'-Drake,  book  iii.  p.  102. 

»  Williamson,  vol.  1.  n.  027. 


284 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


billed  about  six  persons  thereabout- 
killed  tliem before  their  faces."  * 


They  drove  the  cattle  together,  and 


The  savages  J  thus  bafiBed,  retired,  threatening  soon  to  come 
again.  At  Cape  Neddock,  in  York,  they  burned  several  houses, 
and  attacked  a  vessel,  killing  mu  t  of  the  crew.  Indian  bands 
continued  to  range  the  country,  shooting  down  all  they  could 
find,  and  inflicting  all  the  damage  in  their  power. 

Another  dreary  summer  passed  away,  and  another  cheerless 
winter  came.  The  Indians  seldom  ventured  to  brave  the  cold 
and  the  storms  of  a  Maine  winter  in  their  campaigns :  conse- 
quently the  inhabitants  of  York  remitted  their  vigilance  at  that 
time.  The  Indians,  with  the  military  skill  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  display,  selected  this  season  for  their  attack. 

The  little  village  was  scattered  along  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
Agamenticus  River.  There  were  several  strong  block-houses, 
in  which  the  inhabitants  could  take  refuge  in  case  of  an  alarm. 
The  accompanying  illustration  faithfully  represents  the  struo* 
ture  of  one  of  those  houses. 


OABBISON-HOUSB  AT  YOBK,  BUILT  ABOIJT  161S. 

1  Letter  of  Gov  Stou^hton  of  New  York,  dated  June  34, 16111. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAISE. 


285 


Early  on  a  dark,  cold  morning  of  February,  1692,  a  band  of 
between  two  and  three  hundred  French  and  Indians,  having 
traversed  the  wilderness  from  Canada  on  snow-shoes,  made  a 
furious  attack  upon  different  portions  of  the  hamlet.  The  peo- 
ple were  as  much  taken  by  surprise  as  if  an  army  had  descended 
from  the  clouds. 

A  scene  of  terror,  carnage,  and  woe,  ensued,  M'hich  can 
neither  be  described  nor  imagined.  In  one  half-hour  seventy- 
five  of  the  English  were  slain,  and  more  than  a  hundred  taken 
prisoners,  many  of  them  wounded  and  bleeding.  All  the  un- 
fortified houses  were  in  flames.  Those  within  the  walls  of 
the  garrison  fought  with  the  utmost  intrepidity.  The  assail- 
ants, despairing  of  being  able  to  break  through  their  strong 
walls,  and  fearing  thit  re-enforcements  might  come  to  the  aid 
of  the  English,  gathered  up  their  plunder,  huddled  the  dis- 
tracted, woe-stricken  prisoners  together,  and  commenced  a 
retreat. 

Awful  were  the  sufferings  of  these  captives,— wounded  men, 
feeble  women  leaving  the  gory  bodies  of  their  husbands  behind 
them,  and  little  children  now  fatheriess.  The  French  and  the 
savages  co-operated  in  these  demoniac  deeds.  The  victors  com- 
menced their  march  over  the  bleak,  snow-drifted  fields,  towards 
Sagadahoc. 

With  the  exception  of  the  garrison-houses,  the  whole  village 
was  destroyed.  One-half  of  all  the  inhabitants  were  either 
killed,  or  carried  into  captivity.  Rev.  Shubael  Dummer  was  the 
excellent  pastor  of  the  little  church  there.  He  was  about  sixty 
years  of  age,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  a  man  of  devoted 
piety,  and  greatly  beloved.  He  was  found  dead  upon  the  snow. 
His  wife,  a  lady  from  one  of  the  first  families,  and  distinguished 
for  her  social  accomplishments,  and  her  mental  and  moral  cul- 
ture, was  seized,  and  dragged  away  with  the  crowd  of  captives. 
But  the  massacre  of  her  husband,  the  scenes  of  horror  M'hich 
she  had  witnessed,  and  the  frightful  prospect  opening  before 
her,  soon  caused  her  to  sink  away  in  that  blessed  sleep  which 
has  no' earthly  waking.  But  few  of  those  thus  carried  into 
captivity,  amidst  the  storms  of  an  almost  arctic  winter,  ever 
saw  friends  or  home  ae-ain. 


236 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


One  pleasing  event  which  occurred  is  worthy  of  especial 
record.  The  Indians  selected  from  their  prisoners  several  aged 
women  and  several  children,  just  the  number,  and  about  the  ages, 
of  those  whom  Major  Church  had  treated  kindly  in  the  oapture 
of  the  Pejepscot  Fort.  These  were  safely  returned,  with  ex- 
pressions of  gratitude,  to  one  of  the  English  garrison-houses.* 
A  party  from  Portsmouth,  N.H.,  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the 
Indians ;  but  they  could  not  be  overtaken. 

In  Wells,  there  were  but  fifteen  men  in  garrison.  They  were 
commanded  by  Capt.  Converse.  Two  sloops  and  a  shallop, 
manned  by  fourteen  sailors,  were  sent  to  them  with  supplies. 
Before  the  dawn  of  the  morning  of  June  10,  1692.  an  army 
of  five  hundred  French  and  Indians,  under  Mons.  Burneffe, 
attacked  the  place.  The  Indians  were  led  by  four  of  their  most 
distinguished  sagamores.  As  usual,  the  assault  was  commenced 
with  hideous  yells.  The  military  science  of  the  French  was 
combined  with  the  ferocity  of  the  savages.  The  strength  of 
the  assailants  was  such,  that  they  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  of 
success.     Mather  writes, — 

•♦  They  fell  to  dividing  persons  and  plunder.  Such  an  English  captain 
should  be  slave  to  such  an  one.  Such  a  gentleman  should  serve  such  an 
one,  and  his  wife  be  a  maid  of  honor  to  such  or  such  a  squaw.  Mr.  Wheel- 
wright, instead  of  being  a  worthy  counsellor,  aa  he  now  is,  was  to  be  the  ser- 
vant of  such  a  Netop. " 

John  Wheelwright  was  widely  known.  He  was  the  most 
prominent  man  in  the  town.  His  capture  would  have  been 
deemed  an  inestimable  acquisition.  The  assailing  army  ap- 
proached the  feeble  garrison,  according  to  European,  not  Indian 
tactics.  It  appears  that  Capt.  Converse  had  in  the  garrison 
about  thirty  armed  men.  Probably  half  of  these  r^ere  inhabit- 
ants of  the  place.  They  had  fled  to  that  retreat  in  consequence 
of  suspicions  that  Indians  were  skulking  around.     We  know 

1  Collections  Maine  Hiatorical  Society,  vol.  i.  p.  104. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  a-Hoertain  with  accuracy  the  course  which  Major 
Church  pursued  at  Pejepscot.  The  accounts  are  very  contradictory.  Mr.  Drake, 
In  hlB  valuable  Book  of  the  Indians,  represents  him  aa  acting  with  shocking  inhu- 
manity, "  knocking  women  and  children  in  the  head."  But  this  fact  seems  to 
imply  that  ho  was  guilty  of  no  such  atrocities. 


THE  niBTORY  OF  SiAINE. 


287 


not  how  many  women  and  children  had  taken  refuge  there. 
Converse  ordered  his  men  to  keep  carefully  concealed,  and  not 
to  fire  a  gun  until  they  were  sure  of  their  aim.  One  of  the 
garrison,  terror-stricken  in  view  of  the  formidable  array  ap- 
proaching, tremblingly  said,  "We  cannot  resist.  We  must 
surrender." 

'*  Repeat  that  word,*'  Capt.  Converse  replied  sternly,  "  and 
you  are  a  dead  man."  The  assailants  opened  fire.  The  garri- 
son returned  it  with  several  small  cannon  as  well  as  musketry. 
The  women  assisted  in  bringing  powder,  and  in  handling  the 
guns.  The  bullets,  thrown  with  cool  and  accurate  aim,  created 
grett  havoc  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy.  This  was  not  the 
Indian  mode  of  fighting.  Instead  of  admiring  what  was  called 
the  gallautry  of  the  French  in  thus  exposing  their  lives,  they 
regarded  th^m  as  fools  in  thus,  as  it  were,  courting  death.  Cot- 
ton Mather,  in  his  description  of  the  battle,  writes,  "  They  kept 
calling  to  surrender ;  which  ours  answered  with  a  laughter  and 
with  a  mortiferous  bullet  at  the  end  of  it." 

There  is  probably  more  poetry  than  prose  in  that  statement. 
We  apprehend  that  there  was  little  time  for  laughter  on  that 
dreadful  day,  when  the  feeble  little  garrison  was  struggling 
against  a  foe  outnumbering  it  nearly  twenty  to  one.  They 
believed  that  it  was  the  determination  of  the  Indians,  incited 
by  the  French,  to  destroy  every  vestige  of  the  English  settle- 
ments, and  to  put  to  death,  or  drive  from  the  land,  all  the  Eng- 
lish inhabitants. 

Capt.  Converse  had  but  fifteen  men  in  what  was  called  the 
Storer's  garrison.^  The  battle  of  the  first  day  was  mainly 
directed  against  the  garrison.  But  brave  hearts  behind  strong 
defences  beat  off  the  foe.  The  sloops  were  anchored  in  a  nar- 
row creek,  which  was  bordered  with  high  banks.  The  .^ssels 
were  so  near  the  shore,  that  the  Indians,  from  their  hiding- 

1  "  We  know  not  whether  tJe  little  band  on  board  the  vessels,  or  the  noble  men 
and  women  within  the  garrison,  are  enUwled  to  the  higher  meed.  History  speaks 
of  fifteen  soldiers  within  the  latter;  but  we  think  there  may  have  been  thirty. 
Whether  the  latter  or  the  former  is  the  true  number,  the  victory  over  the  assail- 
anwj  was  one  that  entitles  not  only  these  soldiers,  but  all  who  were  within  the 
walls  of  the  fort,  to  the  grateful  lemembrance  of  those  who  have  entered  into 
their  luho!^"  —  BoxifTi^'s  Histov  of  Wslla  aTid  KsnxiAaxik-.  '^,  218, 


238 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


places,  could  easily  throw  stones  on  board.  They  built  a  breast- 
work of  planks,  over  which  they  cautiously  took  aim.  With 
fire-arrows  they  succeeded  several  times  in  setting  the  vessels 
on  fire.  But  the  sailors  extinguished  the  flames  with  mops  on 
the  end  of  long  poles. 

At  length  the  Indians  built  a  breastwork  on  a  cart.  This 
they  pushed  within  fifty  feet  of  one  of  the  vessels.  Not  a 
shot  could  strike  them.  As  they  were  carefully  pressing  it 
forward,  one  of  the  wheels  entered  a  rut.  It  could  not  be 
extricated  without  exposure.  A  gallant  Frenchman  sprung  to 
the  wheel,  and  was  instantly  shot  down.  Another  Frenchman 
took  his  place :  he,  also,  fell,  pierced  by  a  bullet.  The  Indians 
did  not  regard  this  as  sensible  warfare,  but  fled  as  fast  as  possi- 
ble. 

The  next  morning  was  Sunday.  The  enemy  combined  all 
their  energies  in  a  renewed  attack  upon  the  garrisons;  but 
their  bullets  produced  no  effect  upon  the  strong  block-houses. 
Not  a  man  was  wounded.  Many  of  the  Indian  chiefs  could 
speak  English.  They  often  called  upon  Capt.  Converse  to  sur- 
render. To  these  summons  he  returned  defiant  answers.  One 
of  the  chiefs  shouted,  "  Since  you  feel  so  stout,  Converse,  why 
do  you  not  come  out  into  the  field  and  fight  like  a  man,  and  not 
stay  in  a  garrison,  like  a  squaw?" 

"  What  a  pack  of  fools  you  are  1 "  Converse  replied.  "  Do  you 
think  that  I  am  willing,  with  but  thirty  men,  to  fight  your  five 
hundred  ?  But  select  thirty  of  your  warriors,  and,  with  them 
only,  come  upon  the  plain,  and  T  am  ready  for  you." 

"  No,  no  I "  the  chief  replied  in  broken  English.  "  We  think 
English  fashion  all  one  fool, — you  kill  me,  me  kill  you.  Not 
80.  We  lie  somewhere,  and  shoot  'em  Englishmen  when  he  no 
see.     That's  the  best  soldier." 

Another  Indian  exclaimed,  "  We  will  cut  you  into  pieces  as 
small  as  tobacco,  before  to-morrow  morning." 

"  Come  on,  then,"  the  brave  captain  retorted :  "  we  are  all 
ready  for  work." 

Finding  their  efforts  unavailing,  the  combined  foe  of  French 
and  savages  again  turned  their  attention  to  the  two  small  sloops 
which  were  anchored  close  t  '  3ther.     There  v/ere  but  seven  or 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


289 


eight  sailors  on  board.*  An  army  of  five  hundred  men  attacked 
them.  Small,  comparatively,  as  were  the  contending  forces,  it 
18  indeed  true  that  a  more  heroic  defence  history  has  seldom 
recorded.  The  savages  constructed  a  raft  about  twenty  feet 
square,  upon  which  they  piled  all  kinds  of  combustibles,— dried 
branches,  birch-bark,  and  evergreen  boughs.  Applying  the 
torch,  they  converted  it  into  an  island  of  fire,  the  forked  tongues 
of  flame  rising  twenty  or  thirty  feet  high. 

The  destruction  of  the  sloops  now  seemed  sure.  Five  hun- 
dred  yells  of  triumph  pierced  the  air,  as  the  fire-raft  swung 
from  Its  moorings,  and  floated  down  on  the  current  towards  the 
apparently  doomed  vessf'  No  skill,  no  courage,  could  avail 
against  such  a  foe.  But  they  were  saved  by  a  more  than  human 
power.  The  wind  changed :  and  the  floating  volcano  was  driven 
to  the  opposite  shore,  where  it  was  soon  converted  to  ashes. 

One  of  the  French  commanders,  Labocree,  was  shot  through 
the  head.  Many  others  of  the  French  and  Indians  were  either 
killed  or  wounded.  Thus  baffled,  the  foe  retreated,  after  inflict- 
ing all  the  damage  in  their  power,  in  burning  the  dwellings,  and 
shooting  the  cattle.  In  the  dusk  of  the  evening  they  with- 
drew ;  and  silence  and  solitude  reigned  where  the  hideous  clangor 
of  battle  had  so  long  resounded.a  But  one  man  of  the  English 
was  killed.    He  was  shot  on  board  one  of  the  vessels. 

One  unhappy  Englishman,  John  Diamond,  was  taken  captive. 
The  savages,  in  revenge  for  their  losses,  put  him  to  death  with 
the  most  horrible  tortures  which  their  ingenuity  could  contrive. 
Capt.  Converse,8  for  his  heroic  defence,  was  promoted  to  the 

1  "Our  sloops  -vere  sorely  incommoded  by  a  turn  of  the  creek,  where  the  ene- 
my could  be  80  npav  «.,  to  throw  mud  aboard  with  their  hands.  Other  accounts 
make  their  distance  from   hem  sixty  yards."  -Jtfa^fter's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  632 

vol.  ii.  p.  632 ;  and  Bourse's  History  of  Wells  and  Kennebunk,  p.  216 

8  'The  cc-irage  of  the  brave  and  intrepid  Converse  kept  that  of  all  his  com- 
rades from  waning.  Ha  knew  how  much  depended  on  his  own  resolution  and 
firmness:  his  noble  manliness  amidst  the  storm  was  the  inspiration  of  all  about 

r^^l^^^''^fT  °°*  ""T'^  ^  '*™««^^  "°™  '^"'^''y  °^  perpetual  remembrance. 
The  names  of  those  noble  men,  Gooch  and  Storer,  should  never  l,e  forgotten  by 
the  townsmen  of  Wells.  We  know  not  ^ho  else  was  on  board  these  vessels 
But,  known  or  unknown,  the  whole  crew  were  more  worthy  of  monumental  re^ 
membrance  than  the  thousands  of  more  modem  times  whose  memorv  is  sanctified 
lu^o  aoarts  or  tneu- cuuuirymen.--£(mme'a  HUt<>ryo/  Wells  and  Kennebunk. 


240 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


important  position  of  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  forces  in 
Maine.  For  seven  years  this  dreadful  war  desolated  the  State. 
Hundreds  of  terrible  tragedies,  of  burning,  scalping,  torturing, 
have  never  been  recorded.  It  is  heart-rending  to  contemplate 
the  woes  into  which  so  many  families  were  plunged.  No  theol- 
ogy or  philosophy  can  fully  explain  why  God  should  allow  the 
depravity  of  man  to  inflict  such  misery  upon  his  brother. 

In  the  spring  of  1692  a  new  administration  commenced ;  and 
Sir  William  Phips  was  appointed,  by  the  sovereign  of  England, 
governor  of  Massachusetts.  A  legislature  was  convened  at 
Boston  on  the  8th  of  June.  Eight  representatives  were  re- 
turned from  Maine.  War  always  spreads  a  demoralizing  influ- 
ence throughout  the  whole  community.  Pirates  and  freeboot- 
ers ravaged  the  unprotected  shores  of  the  Province.  It  was  the 
great  object  of  the  French,  in  the  war  in  which  France  was 
involved  with  England,  to  annex  the  territory  between  the  Sag- 
adahoc and  Nova  Scotia  to  their  domains. 

In  August,  Gov.  Phips,  with  a  force  of  fouj  hundred  and 
fifty  men,  repaired  to  a  spot  about  three  miles  above  Pemaquid 
Point,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  where  he  built  quite  a  mas- 
sive fort  of  quadrangular  form,  seven  hundred  and  forty-seven 
feet  in  measurement.  While  the  fort  was  in  process  of  con- 
struction, Major  Church  was  despatched  farther  east,  with  a 
strong  force,  to  search  out  the  enemy.  The  fort,  which  was 
named  William  Henry,  was  built  of  stone,  at  an  expense  of 
about  a  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  was  garrisoned  by  sixty 
men,  and  mounted  eighteen  cannon,  six  of  which  were  eighteen- 
pounders.  This  armament  showed  that  they  were  preparing  to 
repel    not  savages  merely,  but   the  well-equipped   armies  of 

France. 

The  expense  of  building  and  maintaining  such  a  garrison  was 
great  for  those  times,  and  excited  much  discontent.  But  the 
Indians,  who,  unseen,  watched  all  the  movements  of  their  enemy, 
could  not  be  caught  sight  of.  They  found  scattered  through 
the  wildernesH  the  lonely  cabins  of  two  or  three  Frenchmen  who 
had  married  Indian  wives.  It  does  not  appear  that  these  people 
were  molested.  Two  or  three  vagrant  Indians  were,  by  chance, 
caught;  and  a  small  amount  of  plunder  was  taken,  of  corn  and 
beaver-skins. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


241 


Capt.  Church,  upon  his  return  to  Pemaqukl,  asqended  the 
Kennebec  as  far  as  Teconnet  (Winslow).  Hut  the  fleet-footed 
savages  very  prudently  avoided  a  battle.  There  were  a  few 
guns  discharged  in  the  vicinity  of  Swan  Island ;  but  we  can- 
not learn  that  anybody  was  hurt.  At  Teconnet  the  sava-es  as 
they  saw  the  English  troops  approacliing,  set  fire  to  their  huts, 
and  like  a  covey  of  frightened  partridges,  vanished  in  the 
woods.* 

The  French  organized  a  strong  expedition  to  batter  down  the 
walls  of  Fort  Henry.  About  two  hundred  Canadians  were  sent 
to  the  Penobscot  to  be  united  with  an  equal  number  of  Indians 
under  Madockawando.  Two  French  frigates  -  one  of  thirtv- 
e.ght,and  the  other  of  thirty-four  guns  -  were  toco-operate. 
J3u^when  this  powerful  land  and  naval  force  reached  Pemaquid, 
an  English  man-of-war  was  riding  at  anchor,  under  the  guns  of 
the  tort;  and  the  works  were  found  too  strong  to  be  attacked. 
Lhm  the  enterprise  was  abandoned. 

^  The  starving  Indians,  without  homes  or  harvests,  and  livinc. 
in  constant  terror,  were  in  great  distress,  and  longed  for  peace! 
On  the  12th  of  August,  1692,  eighteen  sagamores,  representing 
nearly  all  the  tribes  from  Passamaquoddy  Bay  to  Saco,  came  to 
the  tort  at  Pemaquid,  and  proposed  terms  of  peace.  Three 
commissioners  met  them. 

The  sagamores  renounced  subjection  to  France,  and  pledged 
oyalty  to  the  crown  of  England.  They  also  agreed  to  release  all 
their  captives  without  ransom,  to  leave  the  English  unmolested 
ni  all  their  claims  to  possessions  and  territory,  and  to  traffic  only 
at  the  trading-houses  which  should  be  regulated  by  law  All 
controversies  were  to  be  settled  in  English  courts  of  justice. 
*ive  Indians,  of  high  rank,  were  delivered  to  the  English  as 
hostages  to  secure  the  fulfilment  of  the  treaty.' 

Thus  terminated  the  second  Indian  war.  Still  the  Indians 
could  not  be  cordial  and  happy  with  the  hard  conditions  im- 
posed upon  them^  They  were  treated  as  a  subjugated  people. 
The  Protestant  English  and  the  Catholic  French  were  nt'ver 

1  Benjaiiiiu  Clinrch's  Third  Expedition,  p  ];$l 
th/lSant'  '^"^°'"*'  ^"'-  "■  "■  ""'' '"'''"""  '''''''  *^*^  *™"*y' ««  bumiUatin,.  to 


16 


242 


THE  HISTORY  OF  'MAINE. 


friendly.  Occasionally  they  would  cease  to  quarrel ;  but  that 
was  all.  Religious  differences  imbittered  national  animosities. 
It  is  said  that  the  Frenc'u  were  continually  endeavoring  to  rouse 
the  Indians  against  the  English,  just  as  the  English,  a  few  years 
afterwards,  were  unweavied  in  their  endeavors  to  rouse  the 
savages  against  the  Americans. 

It  is  said  that  the  Catholic  missionaries  were  ever  striving  to 
incite  the  savages  to  renew  the  war,  incessantly  preaching  that 
"  it  is  no  sin  to  break  faith  with  heretics."  That  these  self- 
denying  ecclesiastics,  toiling  in  the  wigwams  to  elevate  and 
instruct  the  Indians,  were  patriotic  to  their  own  country,  when 
war  was  raging  between  France  and  England,  cannot  be 
doubted.  But  no  man  can  read  the  record  of  their  toils  and 
sufferings  without  the  conviction  that  they  were  truly  good 
men,  endeavoring,  according  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge,  to 
seek  and  to  save  the  lost. 

Father  Rasle,  at  Norridg^wock,  was  denounced  with  peculiar 
severity.  "  His  entire  devotion,"  writes  Williamson,  "  to  the 
religious  interests  of  the  Indians,  gave  him  an  unlimited  ascen- 
dency over  them."  *  Frontenac,  governor  of  Canada,  appointed 
Mons.  Villieu  resident  commander  at  Penobscot.  He  succeeded 
in  enlisting  two  hundred  and  fifty  Indians,  under  Madockawan- 
do,  to  accompany  a  French  force  in  an  attack  upon  Dover. 
Having  destroyed  the  place,  on  the  18th  of  July,  1693,  they  re- 
turned across  the  Piscataqua  to  Maine.  They  killed  four  men 
near  York,  and  took  one  lad  captive.  On  the  2oth  of  August, 
they  killed  eight  men  at  Kittery,  and,  with  the  hard-heartedness 
of  fiends,  scalped  a  little  girl.  The  child  was  found  the  next 
morning,  bleeding,  and  apparently  dying.  The  scalp  was  torn 
from  her  head,  and  her  skull  broken  in  by  a  blow  from  a  toma- 
hawk ;  still,  strange  to  say,  the  child  recovered. 

This  was  considered  such  a  violation  of  the  treaty  as  to  jus- 
tify any  retaliatory  acts.     There  was  a  Frenchman  by  the  name 


'  "  After  many  attempts  on  the  part  of  tbe  English  to  induce  the  savages,  by 
t)ribes,  and  by  promises  the  most  flattering,  to  deliver  the  missionaries  to  them, 
they  offered  a  reward  of  a  thousand  pounds  sterling  to  any  one  who  would  bring 
them  the  head  of  Rasle.  Les  Anglais  mirent  sa  tete  li  pris,  et  promireut  mille 
livre  sterling  a  celui  qui  la  leur  porterait."  — Zfistoire  de  la  Nouvelle  France,  par 
I'ere  la  Charlevoix,  ii.  p.  386. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


243 


of  Robert  or  Robin  Doney,  who  had  adopted  the  Indian  style 
of  living,  had  become  a  chief  among  them,  and  had  signed  the 
treaty  at  Pemaquid.  He  expressed  great  regret  for  the  rupture, 
and,  with  three  companions,  hastened  to  the  new  fort  at  Saco, 
to  seek  some  adjustment  of  the  difficulty.  '  He  and  his  compau- 
ions  were  seized  and  imprisoned.* 

Soon  after  this,  an  Indian  chief,  by  the  name  of  Bomaseen, 
f^ccompanied  by  two  Indians  of  high  rank,  visited  the  garrison 
at  Pemaquid.  Bomaseen,  or  Bomazeen  as  Drake  spells  it,  was 
a  sachem  of  the  Canibas  tribe  at  Norridgewock.  He  was  a 
friend  of  the  English,  and  had  communicated  to  them  informa- 
tion respecting  the  designs  of  the  French.  It  was  known  that 
he  had  saved  the  life  of  a  woman,  Rebecca  Taylor,  whom  a 
savage  was  endeavoring  to  hang.a  The  three  were  immediately 
seized  and  incarcerated  upon  the  suspicion  that  they  were  en- 
gaged in  the  rupture.^ 

It  is  humiliating  to  record  that  the  government  did  not  re- 
pudiate this  bad  faith.  But  there  were  many  individuals  who 
denounced  it  with  great  severity,  declaring  it  to  be  as  impolitic 
as  it  was  unjust.  It  is  reported  by  Williamson  that  the  follow- 
ing conversation  took  place  in  Boston,  between  Bomaseen  and 
an  Enghsh  clergyman.  The  chief,  speaking  of  the  religious 
instruction  he  had  received  from  the  priests,  said,  — 

"  The  Indians  understand  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was  a  French 
lady.  Her  son,  Jesus  Christ,  the^lessed,  was  murdered  by  the 
English.  But  he  has  risen  from  the  dead,  and  gone  to  heaven. 
All  who  would  gain  his  favor  must  avenge  his  blood." 

The  English  clergyman  replied,  taking  a  glass  of  wine,  »  Jesus 
Christ  gives  us  good  religion,  like  the  wine  in  this  glass.     God's 

•I  i!  "^7y«»!«  after  this,  in  1693,  Eobin  Doney  became  reconciled  to  the  Eng- 
Ush,  and  signed  a  treaty  with  tliem  at  Pemaquid.  But,  within  a  year  aft«r  he 
became  suspected,  whether  with  or  without  reason,  we  know  not,  and  coming  to 
the  fort  at  Saco,  probably  to  settle  the  difficulty,  was  seized  by  the  EnglW 
What  his  fate  was  is  rather  uncertain;  but  the  days  of  forgiveness  and  mercy 
were  not  yet. "  -  Drakes  Book  of  the  Indiana,  book  iii.  p.  lie. 

2  Drake,  book  iii.  p.  ill. 

»  "In  1(594  he  (Bomazeen)  came  to  the  fort  at  Pemaquid  with  a  flag  of  truce 
and  was  treacherously  seized  by  those  who  commanded,  and  sent  prisoner  to  Bos- 
ton, where  he  remained  some  mouths  in  a  loathsome  prison."  -Drake,  book  iii 
p.  111. 


244 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


book  is  the  Bible,  which  holds  this  good  wine.  The  French 
put  poison  in  it,  and  then  give  it  to  the  Indians.  The  English 
give  it  to  them  pure;  that  is,  they  present  them  the  Bible  in 
their  own  language.  French  priests  hear  you  confess  your  sins, 
and  take  beaver  for  it.  The  English  never  sell  pardons.  Par- 
dons are  free,  and  come  from  God  only." 

To  this  Bomaseen  replied,  "  The  Indians  will  spit  up  all 
French  poison.     The  Englishman's  God  is  the  best  God."  ^ 

The  English  retained  the  five  hostages  whom  the  chiefs  had 
placed  in  their  hands,  and  also  closely  imprisoned  Bomaseen 
and  his  companions  for  the  winter.  Pestilence  and  famine  were 
raging  among  these  unhappy  perishing  natives.  Starvation 
drove  many  to  acts  of  plunder. 

In  May,  1695,  the  English  sent  one  of  their  hostage  chiefs, 
Sheepscot  John,  to  confer  with  the  eastern  Indians  upon  peace. 
He  induced  the  sagamores  to  come  in  a  fleet  of  fifty  canoes, 
and  meet  him  at  Rutherford's  Island,  which  was  about  three 
miles  from  fort  William  Henry.  There  was  a  friendly  confer- 
ence. A  truce  was  agreed  upon  ;  eight  English  captives  were 
released ;  and  the  sagamores  promised,  at  the  end  of  thirty  days, 
to  meet  commissioners  at  the  garrison  of  William  Henry,  and 
conclude  an  abiding  peace. 

The  commissioners  met  at  the  appointed  time  and  place. 
The  sagamores  were  also  prompt  to  their  engagements.  The 
English,  Messrs.  Phillips,  Hawthorne,  and  Converse,  refused  to 
surrender  their  hostages,  and  yet  demanded  that  the  Indians 
should  surrender  their  prisoners  before  they  would  even  treat 
upon  the  subject  of  peace.  We  must  respect  these  chiefs  for 
resenting  such  an  indignity.     They  replied,  — 

"  You  have  not  brought  ua  our  friends,  and  yet  you  demand  that  we  shall 
bring  to  you  yours.    This  is  not  fair.    We  will  talk  no  more. " 

Abruptly  they  rose  and  departed.  Thus  the  truce  ended. 
Again  the  storms  of  war  spread  their  desolations  far  and  wide. 
It  was  a  miserable  warfare  on  each  side,  shooting  individuals 
whenever  they  could  be  found,  burning  cabins  and  wigwams, 
and  capturing  and  scalping  without  mercy. 

1  WilliftHison,  vol.  1.  p.  641. 


all 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

KING   WILLIAM'S  WAR.  —  QUEEN  ANNE'S  WAR. 

Efforts  of  the  French  to  reduce  Fort  William  Henry  —  Cruelty  of  Capt. 
Chubb  — His  Fate  — Camden  Heights  —  Plunder  on  the  Bay  of  Fundy  — 
Major  Frost  —  Fearful  Tragedies  —  Consultations  for  Peace  —  Assacorabuit 
—  Impoverishment  of  the  Province  —  Cruel  Rumors  and  New  Solicitudes  — 
An  Intolerant  Act -Gov.  Dudley  —  Speech  of  Simmo  — King  William's 
War  — Policy  of  M.  RiviiSres  —  Shameful  Conduct  of  Englishmen  —  Third 
Indian  War —  Siege  of  Winter  Harbor— Arrival  of  Capt,  Southack. 

rpHE  renewal  of  the  dreadful  war  must  be  attributed  to  the 
-L  folly  of  the  English.  During  the  month  of  June,  1696, 
more  than  twenty  persons  were  shot  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Piscataqua,  and  many  houses  were  burned.  The  French 
resolved  to  reduce  Fort  William  Henry.  In  their  view,  it  con- 
trolled all  of  Western  Acadia. 

Capt.  Iberville  was  sent  from  Quebec,  with  two  men-of-war, 
and  two  companies  of  soldiers.  At  Port  Royal  he  was  to  take 
on  board  fifty  Indians ;  and  at  Castine  he  was  to  be  joined  by 
Baron  Castine  and  a  large  additional  number.  Charlevoix  saya 
that  there  were  two  hundred  savages  in  the  expedition.*  Cas- 
tine, with  his  retinue,  accompanied  the  ships  along  the  shore  in 
canoes. 

The  troops  were  landed  without  opposition,  and  the  batteries 
raised.  By  the  14th  of  July,  1696,  the  fort  was  invested. 
Capt.  Chubb,  who  was  in  command  of  the  garrison,  had  fifteen 
guns  and  ninety-five  men,  with  an  ample  supply  of  food  and 
ammunition.  Iberville,  having  placed  his  cannon  and  mortars 
in  position  simply  to  show  what  he  could  do,  sent  a  summons 
for  surrender.    Chubb  was  particularly  obnoxious  to  the  Indians, 


1  Hist.  Gen.  de  la  Noiiv.  Fr.,  t.  iii.  p.  2m. 


245 


I 


246 


THE  ff  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


who  never  forgot  a  wrong.  Only  five  months  before,  on  the 
16th  of  February,  1696,  he  lured  two  sachems,  Edgeremet  and 
Abenquid,  into  his  fort,  and  put  them  both  to  death.  "  It  was 
a  horrid  and  cold-blooded  act,"  writes  Drake.  "  Few  are  the 
instances  that  we  meet  with  in  history,  where  Indian  treachery, 
as  it  is  termed,  can  go  before  this.'"  *  To  the  demand  for  a  sur- 
render, Chubb  returned  the  spirited  reply,  "  I  shall  not  give  up 
the  fort,  though  the  sea  be  covered  with  French  vessels,  and  the 
land  with  wild  Indians." 

The  bombardment  was  commenced  \vith  great  energy. 
Bombshells,  those  most  terrible  thunderbolts  of  war,  fell  thick, 
with  death-dealing  explosions,  within  the  enclosure.  Baron 
Castine,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  humane  man,  some  say  a 
religious  man,  convinced  that  the  fort  could  not  withstand  the 
cannonade,  and  knowing,  from  the  antagonism  of  the  Indians  to 
Chubb,  that,  should  the  fort  be  carried  by  storm,  no  earthly 
power  could  restrain  the  ferocity  of  the  savages,  succeeded  in 
sending  to  him  the  following  message  :  *'  If  you  delay  to  surren- 
der till  the  works  are  carried  by  assault,  an  indiscriminate 
massacre  of  the  garrison  is  inevitable." 

Conscious  guilt  probably  made  Chubb  cowardly.  Ihe  white 
flag  was  raised  ;  and  the  terms  of  capitulation  were  soon  agreed 
upon.  All  the  garrison  were  to  be  conveyed  to  Boston,  and,  in 
exchange  for  them,  just  as  many  French  and  Indian  prisoners- 
of-war  were  to  be  returned.  The  gates  of  the  fort  were  thrown 
open ;  and  the  conquerors  entered,  unfurling  the  French  flag 
upon  the  captured  battlements. 

But  the  Indians  found  one  of  their  people  in  irons.  He  had 
a  deplorable  story  to  tell  of  the  cruel  treatment  he  had  received 
from  Chubb.  Tliis  so  exasperated  them,  that,  before  Capt.  Iber- 
ville could  effectually  interpose,  several  of  the  English  were 

I  Drake,  book  iii.  p.  112.  "Cotton  Mather  records  the  crime  in  language  quite 
nnwortliy  of  liira.  He  writes,  '  Know,  then,  reader,  that,  Capt.  March  petitioning 
to  be  dismissed  from  his  command  of  tlie  fort  at  Pemaquid,  one  Cluibb  succeeded 
him.  This  Clmbb  foimd  an  opportunity,  in  a  pretty  Chubbed  manner,  to  kill  tlie 
famous  Edgeremet  and  Abenquid,  a  couple  of  principal  sagamores,  with  one  or 
two  other  Indians,  on  a  Lord's  Day.  Some,  that  well  enough  liked  the  thing 
which  was  now  done,  did  not  altogether  lilce  the  manner  of  doing  it;  because 
there  was  a  pretence  of  treaty  between  Chubb  and  the  sagamores,  whereof  he 
took  his  advantage  to  lay  violent  hands  upon  them.' "— Mather' g  Magnalia^ 
book  vii. 


THE  BISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


247 


flag 


massacred ;  but,  by  the  aid  of  the  French  soldiers,  he  rescued 
the  rest,  and  removed  them,  with  Chubb,  to  a  small  neighbor- 
ing island,  where  they  were  place,  under  a  strong  guard.' 
Both  French  and  Indians  regarded  this  conquest  as  a  great 
achievement.  The  fleet  returned  to  the  Penobscot;  and,  flushed 
with  victory,  new  efforts  were  made  by  the  French  to  enlist  all 
the  tribes  as  allies  in  the  renewal  of  the  war. 

The  capture  of  Fort  William  Henry  created  much  anxiety  in 
Boston.  It  was  feared  that  the  fleet  would  sweep  the  whole 
coast,  from  the  Penobscot  to  the  Piscataqua,  burning  and 
destroying.  Five  hundred  men  were  promptly  raised,  and  sent 
to  the  Piscataqua,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Church.  But 
no  enemy  appeared  there. 

Three  British  men-of-war,  with  a  smaller  vessel  of  twenty 
guns,  and  a  fire-ship,  sailed  from  Boston  for  the  Penobscot,  to 
attack  and  destroy  the  French  squadron  ;  but  the  fleet  was  just 
visible,  far  away  in  the  distant  horizon,  on  its  return  to  Quebec. 
Though  it  was  pursued  for  a  few  hours,  it  was  soon  entirely 
lost  sight  of  in  a  dense  fog.  The  English  vessels,  on  their  way 
back  to  Boston,  captured  a  small  French  shallop,  commanded 
by  Capt.  Villeau,  Avith  twenty-three  French  sailors  on  board. 

Major  Church  embarked  a  portion  of  his  division  in  a  small 
well-armed  vessel,  and  sailed  along  the  coast  until  he  cast 
anchor  at  the  Island  of  Monhegan.  He  then  boldly  pushed  on 
to  Penobscot  Bay,  and  ascended,  until  abreast  Camden  Heights.^ 

1  "  We  will  now  inform  the  reader  of  the  wretched  fate  of  Capt.  PaacoCliul)b 
It  was  not  long  after  he  had  committed  the  bloody  deed  of  killing  the  Indian 
sagamores,  before  he  and  the  fort  were  taken  by  the  French  and  the  Indians  He 
was  exchanged,  and  retnrned  to  Boston,  where  he  suffered  mui'h  disgrax^e  for  his 
treachery  with  the  Indians.  He  lived  at  Andover,  in  Massachusetts,  where  the 
Indians  made  an  attack,  in  February,  1(598,  in  which  he  was  killed.  '  When  they 
found  that  they  had  killed  him,  it  gave  them  as  much  joy,'  says  Hutchinson,  'a.s 
the  destruction  of  a  whole  town,  because  they  had  taken  their  beloved  vengeance 
of  lam  for  his  perfidy  and  barbarity  to  their  countrymen.'  They  shot  him 
through  several  times,  after  he  was  iXmA." —Drake,  book  iii.  p.  113. 

2  "  Camden  Heights  are  aboiit  ten  miles  overland  from  Owl's  Head.  There  are 
Ave  or  six  of  them,  in  a  range  from  north-west  to  south-east;  and  they  are  clothed 
with  forest-trees  to  their  tops.  Mount  Batty,  which  is  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  Camden  Harbor,  is  about  nine  hundred  feet  high.  In  our  second  war 
with  England,  an  eighteen-pounder  was  placed  upon  its  summit. 

"These  are  probably  the  mountains  seen  by  Capt.  Weymouth  in  1605,  and  by 
Capt.  Smith  m  lfil4,.  v.-lion  they  explored  Penobscot  Bay."  -See  Williamson's  Ilisloru 
mf  Maine,  vol.  i.  p.  96. 


■1 


248 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  pilot,  who  was  familiar  witli  that  region,  and  who  had  once 
been  a  captive  there  in  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  informed 
Capt.  Church,  that,  about  sixty  miles  up  the  river,  there  was 
a  small  island,  which  was  a  place  of  general  resort  by  the 
Indians. 

It  is  supposed  that  this  was  the  ancient  Lett,  or  Oldtown 
Island.  Th6re  was  a  village  here,  which,  for  a  long  time,  con- 
tinued to  be  one  of  tlie  most  memorable  of  the  Indian  towns.  It 
was  situated  on  the  southerly  end  of  an  island,  containing  about 
three  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  very  rich  soil.  Church  as- 
cended the  river  in  his  vessel  as  far  as  what  is  called  the  Bend, 
where  Eddington  now  stands.'  Small  vessels  could  usually 
ascend  nearly  to  this  point.  Here  Church  cast  anchor.  Land- 
ing a  portion  of  his  force,  he  commenced  a  march  up  the  west 
bank  of  the  river. 

It  was  the  month  of  August.  The  region  was  beautiful,  and 
the  climate  in  that  latitude, 'at  that  season,  charming.  Ascend- 
ing a  few  miles,  they  passed  many  spots  which  the  Indians  had 
formerly  inhabited,  but  which  were  then  abandoned.  It  was 
the  custom  to  hunt  Indians  as  one  would  hunt  wolves.  Often 
no  respect  was  paid  to  sex  or  age.  The  men  succeeded  in  kill- 
ing four  or  five  of  the  natives,  and  in  wounding  several.  A 
shattered  bone  must  be  a  terrible  calamity  to  a  poor  Indian,  who 
can  have  no  surgical  aid. 

The  adventurers,  having  inflicted  this  amount  of  damage, 
icturned  to  their  vessel,  and  sailed  for  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  A 
few  French  emigrants  had  their  scattered  cabins  on  the  northern 
shores  of  this  bay,  where  their  wives  and  children  lived,  in  the 
extreme  of  poverty.  They  raised  a  few  bushels  af  corn,  caught 
a  few  fishes,  and  occasionally  trapped  a  beaver,  or  shot  a  bird. 
Their  comfortless  homes  were  scarcely  a  remove  above  the  wig- 
wam of  the  savage. 

In  terror,  the  inmates  of  these  hovels  fled  into  the  wilderness. 
Capt.  Church  burned  their  houses,  destroyed  their  little  har- 
vests, and  plundered  them  of  their  furs  and  skins,  and  of  what- 

1  "From  the  re-union  of  the  Penobscot  with  tlie  Stillwater,  at  the  foot  of 
Marah  Island,  the  river  flows  south-westerly  three  miles  to  the  head  of  the  tide  at 
^]j/,  g.^yjrf  where  its  usual  ebb  and  flow  are  two  feet,"  —  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  G8. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


249 


ever  else  was  worth  carrying  away.*  As  he  was  sailing  home- 
wards with  his  slender  booty,  he  met,  in  the  waters  of 
Passamuqnoddy  Bay,  an  English  squadron  of  three  vessels,  from 
Boston.  Col.  Hawthorne  was  in  command.  Capt.  Church, 
thus  superseded,  was  directed  to  join  the  fleet,  and  accompany 
them  to  an  attack  upon  St.  John.  The  enterprise  was  unsuc- 
cessful, and  the  vessels  returned  to  Boston. 

The  inhabitants  of  Maine,  the  English,  and  the  savages,  were 
now  alike  wretched.  No  man  could  leave  his  door  without 
danger  of  being  shot.  No  family  could  lay  dowu  to  sleep  at 
night  without  being  liable  to  hear  the  horrible  war-whoop 
before  the  morning,  and  of  being  subjected  to  the  awful  tragedy 
of  conflagration,  scalping,  and  massacre.  Stern  Nature  seemed 
in  harmony  with  the  cruelty  of  man.  The  winter  was  one  of 
unprecedented  cold;  and  storms  of  sleet  and  snow  howled 
through  the  tree-tops,  and  swept  all  the  dreary  fields.  Many, 
both  Indians  and  English,  were  starved  to  death.  Nine  Indians, 
who  were  out  hunting,  after  eating  their  dogs,  were  found  dead, 
the  victims  of  famine.'^ 

Major  Charles  Frost  was  in  command  at  Kittery.  He  was 
peculiarly  obnoxious  to  the  Indians,  as  they  accused  him  of 
several  acts  of  treachery .^  A  plan  was  formed  to  kill  him. 
Several  Indians  hid  behind  a  large  log,  about  five  miles  from 
his  house,  to  sh'Ot  hi"i  on  his  way  to  church.  It  was  Sunday 
morning,  June  4,  "xol..  Apparently,  his  wife  was  riding 
behind  him,  on  a  pillion  ;  and  some  one  was  walking  by  the  side 
of  the  horse.  There  was  a  simultaneous  discharge  of  the  guns 
of  the  savages ;  and  all  three  fell  to  the  ground  in  the  convul- 
sions of  death. 


*  "Among  tlie  settlements  on  the  north  shore  of  that  bay,  he  niatle  great 
destruction,  and  took  considerable  plunder."—  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  G4C. 

2  Mather's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  550. 

«  "We  have,  In  narrating  the  events  in  the  life  of  Modokawando,  noticed  the 
voyage  of  Major  Waldrou  to  the  eastern  coast  of  Maine.  How  much  treachery 
was  manifested  at  that  time  by  the  Indians,  -vvhich  caused  the  English  to  massa- 
cre many  of  them,  we  shall  not  take  upon  us  to  declare.  Yet  this  we  cannot  but 
bear  in  mind,  that  we  have  only  the  account  of  those  who  performed  the  tragedy, 
and  not  that  of  those  on  whom  it  fell.  Capt.  Charles  Frost  of  Kittery  was  with 
Waldron  upon  that  expedition,  and,  next  to  him,  a  principal  actor  in  it."  —  Drake, 
book  iii.  p.  109. 


250 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Two  young  men  who  were  hurrying  with  the  tiding^  to  the 
garrison  at  Wells  were  shot  by  the  lurking  Indians.  Five  sol- 
diers, who  had  ventured  a  little  distance  from  the  garrison  at 
York,  were  found  scalped,  and  with  their  bodies  pierced  with 
bullets.  One  unhappy  map,  who  had  incurred  the  rage  of  the 
savages,  was  roasted  to  death  at  a  slow  fire.  A  few  men  from 
Wells  went  upon  Cow  Island  for  fuel.  A  man  and  his  two 
sons  were  stationed  to  keep  watch.  The  lurking  savages  seized 
them,  and  carried  them  off  in  a  canoe.  There  were  several 
canoes.  Lieut.  Larabee  was  out  on  a  scout.  He  caught  sight 
of  the  little  fleet,  and  shot  three  of  the  Indians,  rescuing  one 
captive.  The  other  two  were  carried  away.  Doubtless  the 
Indians,  in  revenge,  tortured  them  to  death. 

The  French  raised  an  army  of  fifteen  hundred  French  and 
Indians  to  recapture  Nova  Scotia,  and  ravage  all  the  coasts  of 
New  England.  This  was  a  prodigious  force  for  this  country,  in 
those  days.  It  created  great  alarm.  At  a  vast  expense  of 
money  and  labor,  all  the  fortifications  were  strengthened  and 
supplied.  Five  hundred  soldiers,  under  Major  March,  were 
pushed  forward  to  the  forts  in  Maine.  Ranging  parties  were 
sent  in  aU  directions  to  intercept  the  Indians. 

Major  March  cast  anchor,  with  his  troops,  at  Damariscotta.'' 
A  band  of  Indians  had  discerned  his  approach.  They  knew 
where  he  would  attempt  a  landing,  and  concealed  themselves  in 
ambush.  Scarcely  had  the  troops  placed  their  feet  upon  the 
shore  of  the  silent  ^and  apparently  solitary  wilderness,  when 
there  came  a  loud  report  of  musketry,  a  volley  of  bullets  swept 
through  their  ranks,  and  their  ears  were  almost  deafened  by 
the  shrill  war-whoop.  Nearly  thirty  were  killed  or  wounded. 
The  English,  now  well  accustomed  to  Indian  warfare,  rallied 
for  a  vigorous  defence.  The  savages  fled,  probably  with  but 
very  slight  loss.  It  was  their  great  aim  to  strike  a  blow,  and 
then  run  before  the  blow  could  be  returned.^ 

Two  days  after  this,  on  the  11th  of  September,  1697,  peace 


>  "  Damariscotta  Is  navigable  for  large  ships  about  twelve  miles  from  the  sea. 
It  is  about  half  a  mile  wide.  Rutherford's  Island,  a  mile  long,  is  at  its  mouth."  — 
Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  6G. 

3  Mather's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  653. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


2S1 


between  France  and  England  was  concluded  by  the  faraous 
Treaty  of  Ryswick.  Tidings  of  the  happy  event  did  not  reach 
Boston  until  the  10th  of  December.  The  Indians,  unaided  by 
the  French,  could  accomplish  but  little,  though  there  were 
occasional  assassinations  and  plunderings.  Early  in  the  summer 
of  1698,  the  savages  sent  in  their  flags  of  truce  to  our  outposts, 
imploring  peace. 

A  conference  was  held  at  Penobscot  on  the  14th  of  October, 
1698.  Two  commissioners  from  Massachusetts  met  six  sajia- 
mores,  accompanied  by  a  large  retinue  of  Indians.  The  Indians 
were  very  sad.  Mournfully  they  sang  requiems  for  the  dead. 
War  to  them  had  brought  famine,  and  famine  had  brought 
pestilence.  A  terrible  disease  was  sweeping  away  hundreds  of 
their  people.  Many  of  their  most  illustrious  men,  the  revered 
Madockawando  *  being  of  the  number,  were  included  among  its 
victims.  The  English  commissioners  insisted,  that,  in  addition 
to  the  return  of  all  t' -^  captives,  the  Indians  should  drive  all  the 
Catholic  missionaries  out  of  their  country.  It  certainly  speaks 
■well  for  the  influence  which  these  teachers  had  exerted  upon 
the  minds  of  the  savages,  that  the  sagamores,  as  with  one  voice, 
should  have  replied,  "  The  white  prisoners  will  be  free  to  go 
home,  or  stay  with  their  Indian  friends.  But  the  good  mission- 
aries must  not  be  driven  away." 

Another  conference  was  held  at  Marepoint,  now  in  the  town 
of  Brunswick,  in  January,  1699.  Major  Converse  and  Col. 
Phillips  met  the  sagamores  of  moat,  if  not  all,  the  tribes  between 
the  Piscataqua  and  the  Penobscot.  Here  a  previous  treaty  was 
signed  and  ratified,  with  additional  aiticles.  The  dreadful  war 
had  lasted  ten  years,  impoverishing  all,  enriching  none.  The 
woes  it  had  caused,  no  finite  imagination  can  gauge.  It  is  esti- 
mated that  between  five  and  seven  hui  .re'.l  f  the  English  were 
killed,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  were  c:  icd  into  captivity, 
many  of  whom  perished.     One  Indian  warrior,  Assacombuit,* 

1  "Madockawando  and  Squando  were  the  most  powerful  chiefs  during  this 
war.  They  are  described  by  Hubbard  as  'a  strange  kind  of  moralized  savages, 
grave  and  serious  in  their  speech,  and  not  without  some  show  of  a  kin((  of 
religion.' "  —  Willia'a  History  of  Portland,  p.  213. 

a  "This  sachem  was  known  among  the  French  by  the  name  of  Nescanibiouit; 
but  among  the  English  he  was  called  Assacambuit  and  Assacombuit.    He  was  as 


252 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


boasted,  and  probably  truthfully,  that  he  had  killed  or  captured 
a  hundred  and  fifty  men,  women,  and  children.* 

It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  but  well  authenticated,  that,  in  many 
cases,  young  children  captured  by  the  savages,  and  brought  up 
among  them,  were  often  very  unwilling  to  leave  the  wigwam, 
and  return  to  civilized  life.  The  attachment  between  them  and 
the  members  of  the  Indian  families  became  very  strong.  Very 
affecting  were  the  partings  which  sometimes  took  place.  Even 
in  the  present  case,  Mr.  Williamson  testifies,  that  "a  few  who 
were  captured  in  their  childhood,  becoming  attached  to  the 
society  of  the  savages,  chose  to  remain  with  them,  and  never 
would  leave  the  tri)"'^" 

It  will  be  rememuv;-.  ..  that  the  royal  charter  of  William  and 
Mary,  dated  Oct.  7,  1691,  included  essentially  the  territory  of 
the  present  State  of  Maine,  in  two  great  divisions.  One  of 
these,  extending  from  Piscataqua  to  the  Kennebec  Hiver,  was 
called  the  Province  of  Maine ;  the  other,  which  included  the 
region  between  the  Kennebec  and  the  St.  Croi^,  was  denomi- 
nated the  Province  of  Sagadahoc.^ 

Maine  became  virtually  a  province  of  Massachusetts,  and  so 
continued  for  a  hundred  and  thirty  years.3  The  administration 
of  Sir  William  Phips  continued  about  two  and  a  half  years. 
He  died  in  London  in  the  year  1694.  Mr.  Williamson  pays  the 
following  well-mev"'ed  tribute  to  his  memory:*  — 

'«  He  was  a  man  of  benevolent  disposition  and  accredited  piety,  though 
sometimes  unable  to  repress  the  ebuUitions  of  temper.     He  was  not  only 

^ithful  to  the  French  as  one  of  their  own  nation.  In  170r,  he  sailed  for  Fiance, 
^nd  was  presented  to  his  Majesty  Louis  XIV.,  at  Versailles.  Here,  among  other 
..minent  personages,  he  became  known  to  the  historian  Charlevoix.  The  king 
having  presented  him  an  elegant  sword,  he  is  reported  to  have  said,  holding  up 

^'  ^"  ^Thiriiand  has  slain  a  hundred  and  forty  of  your  Majesty's  enemies  in  New 

^""Whereupon  the  king  forthwith  knighted  him,  and  ordered  that  henceforth  a 
pension  of  eight  livresa  day  (about  $1.50)  be  allowed  him  for  lito."  -- Drake,  book 

"*■  i^sirMather's  Magnalia,  vol.  ii.  p.  558;  History  of  New  England,  by  Daniel 
Noa),  vol.  ii.  p.  544;  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  050.  _ 

2  This  region  was  inserted  in  the  charter,  without  any  specihc  name,  though  it 
was  usually  called  as  we  have  mentioned. -Summcn/  of  British  Settlements  m 
North  America,  by  William  Douglass,  vol.  i.  p.  332. 

3  ■\viliiamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  10. 
*  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  23. 


Tin:  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


25S 


energetic  and  exceedingly  persevering  in  his  purposes,  but  he  possessed  good 
abilities,  unsullied  integrity,  and  strong  attacliments.  His  unremitting  as- 
siduities to  promote  the  best  interests  of  Maine,  the  Province  of  his  nativity, 
and  to  enforce  measures  devised  for  its  defence  and  relief,  are  evidences 
monumental  of  his  patriotism,  and  his  high  sense  of  obligation  and  duty." 

Massachusetts,  in  assuming  the  government  of  Maine,  ve- 
bigned  to  the  crown  of  England  all  jurisdictional  rights  to  Nova 
Scotia.  The  community  there  consisted  mainly  of  a  mixed 
breed  of  Canadians  and  Indians.  They  had  been  mostly  under 
French  influence,  wt  generally  Roman  Catholics,  and  their 
sympathies  were  with  France.  The  people  of  all  Maine  had 
become  essentially  one  with  the  people  of  Massachusetts  in 
their  social  habits,  their  political  views,  and  their  religious 
observances.  Massachusetts  had  ever  been  to  Maine  a  Izind  and 
sympathizing  friend. 

The  impoverishment  of  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  at  the  close 
of  the  war  was  dreadful,  almost  beyond  comprehension. 
Houses,  barns,  and  mills,  with  all  the  implements  of  agriculture, 
had  been  consumed  by  the  flames.^  The  people  of  York  wished 
for  a  grist-mill.  They  were  unable  to  build  one.  They  offered 
a  man  in  Portf^mouth,  if  he  would  put  up  a  mill,  a  lot  of  land 
to  build  it  upon,  liberty  to  cut  such  timber  as  he  needed,  and 
their  pledge  to  carry  all  their  corn  to  his  mill  so  long  as  he  kept 
it  in  order. 

The  worn  and  wasted  people  gradually  returned  to  the  deso- 
lated spots  which  had  once  been  their  homes.  Log-cabins  again 
began  to  arise  in  the  solitudes  of  Falmouth,  Scarborough,  and 
at  various  other  points,  ov^er  which  pitiless  war  had  rolled  its 
billows.  In  this  state  of  affairs,  some  malicious  persons  set  the 
cruel  report  in  circulation,  that  the  colonists  were  making 
preparation  to  fall  upon  the  Indian  tribes,  and  exterminate  them. 
It  was  said  that  this  rumor  originated  with  the  French,  who 
were  still  anxious  to  extend  their  possessions  farther  west,  and 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  aid  of  the  savages.* 

The  Indians,  greatly  frightened,  beg"-n  to  withdraw  from  the 

«  "No  mills,  no  enclosures,  no  roads,  but,  on  the  contrary,  dilapidated  liabitar 
tlons,  wide  wasted  fields,  and  melancholy  ruins."  —  Williamson,  vol.  it.  p.  31. 
«  Huttthinson's  Hiatorv  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  113. 


254 


THE  EI8T0RY  OF  MAINE. 


English  settlerrents.  This  alarmed  the  English  ;  and  they  com- 
menced preparations  for  defence,  apprehending  that  the  Indiana 
were  again  to  attack  them.  These  hostile  demonstrations  con- 
firmed the  Indians  in  their  fears ;  and  in  all  probability  the  v 
began  to  draw  nearer  to  the  French.  This  confirmed  the  su»p  i 
cions  of  the  English,  and  led  to  measures  whose  tendency  w  n 
only  to  exasperate. 

The  militia  was  ordered  to  ue  in   constant  readiness.     /. 
York,  Wells,  and  Kittery,  well-armed  soldiers  were  posted.     J 
proclamation  was  issued,  which,  while  it  cautioned  the  peopl 
against  giving  any  just  provocation  to  the  Indians,  ordered  the  n. 
to  be   constantly  on  the  watch   to  guard   against  treachery. 
Guards  were  appointed  to  patrol  the  towns   every  night,  from 
nine  till  morning.     This  state  of  affairs  necessarily  put  an  end 
to  all  peace  of  mind  .uid  to  all  friendly  intercourse. 

It  would  seem  as  though  man  was  doomed  to  make  his  brother- 
man  miserable.  The  religiob  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  is  the 
religion  which  recognizes  God  as  our  common  Father,  and  all 
men  as  brethren,  and  whose  fundamental  principle  is  that  we 
should  do  to  others  as  we  would  that  others  should  do  to  us, 
would  have  made  Maine,  from  the  beginning,  almost  a  pj^radise. 
But  what  an  awful  tragedy  does  its  history  reveal !  And  such 
has  been,  essentially,  the  history  of  all  the  nations.  Such  has 
been  life  upon  this  planet  from  the  %11  of  Adam  to  the  present 
hour. 

To  add  to  these  calamities,  menaces  of  war  began  again  to 
arise  between  France  and  England.  Unfortunately,  by  the 
Treaty  of  Ryswick,  the  boundaries  between  the  English  and 
French  possessions  on  this  continent  had  not  been  clearly  de- 
fined. Both  courts  still  claimed  the  territory  between  the  Sag- 
adahoc and  the  St.  Croix.  The  English  said  that  they  had 
resigned  Nova  Scotia  to  France,  but  nothing  more. 

In  1699  Lord  Bellamont  arrived  in  Boston,  appointed  by  the 
king  as  governor  of  New  York,  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Maine.  He  wafi  an  excellent  man,  intelligent  and  cour- 
teous, with  enlarged  views  of  both  civil  and  religious  liberty.' 


'  Kecords,  Eesolves,  and  Journals  of  the  Massachusetts  Government,  vol.  vl. 
p.  57. 

«  WiU       son,  vol.  11.  p.  82. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


265 


James  II.  of  England,  who  had  been  driven  from  th^  throne  by 
an  indignant  people,  to  give  place  to  his  son-in-law,  William, 
died  at  St.  Germain,  in  France,  on  the  16th  of  September,  1701. 
His  son,  called  the  Pretender,  a  zealous  Catholic,  claimed  to  be 
the  legitimate  King  of  England.  The  Catholic  court  of  France 
supported  his  claim.  Six  months  after,  on  the  8th  of  Inarch, 
King  William  died,  deeply  lamented.  His  wife,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  Mary,  a  daughter  of  James  II.  She  had  a 
sister  Anne.  She  was  declared  by  the  British  parliament  to  be 
the  legitimate  successor  of  William.  She  ascended  the  throne 
on  the  4th  of  May,  1702.  War  was  immediately  declared 
against  France,  whose  court  was  maintaining  a  rival  for  the 
crown. 

The  war-cloud  instantly  threw  its  shadow  upon  our  shores. 
The  British  ministry  claimed  the  whole  Province  of  Sagada- 
hoc, and  the  right,  in  common  with  France,  to  the  fisheries,  on 
all  these  northern  seas.^  Both  of  these  claims  France  resisted. 
Queen  Anne  appointed  Joseph  Dudley  governor  of  her  New 
England  provinces.  "  He  manfully  applied,"  writes  William- 
son, "  his  splendid  abilities,  his  courtly  manners,  and  his  exten- 
sive knowledge,  to  render  all  the  acts  of  his  administration 
acceptable  to  every  class  of  people." 

The  war  between  France  and  England  assumed  very  much 
the  aspect  of  a  religious  war,  a  conflict  between  Protestantism 
and  Catholicism  .2 

It  was  generally  believed  that  the  Catholic  missionaries  in 
Maine  were  endeavoring  to  seduce  the  Indians  from  their  alle- 


1  "The  English  people  engaged  in  the  Newfoundland  fisheries  were  making 
great  voyages.    About  twenty-seven  hundred  flsheriuen,  and  two  hundred  and 
twenty  vessels,  were  employed  this  single  year  (seventeen  hundred  and  one). 
They  took  and  cured  two  hundred  thousand  quintals  of  fish,  besides  four  thou 
sand  hogsheads  of  train  and  liver  oil,"  —  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  33. 

^  Gov.  Bellamont,  in  one  of  his  aildresses  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachix- 
setts,  said,  "Divine  providence,  in  bringing  to  pas  the  late  happy  and  won- 
derful revolution  in  England,  has  been  pleased  to  makB  King  William  the  glorious 
Instrument  of  our  deliverance  from  the  odious  fetters  and  chains  of  Popery  and 
<iespotism,  which  had  been  artfully  used  to  enslave  our  consciences,  and  subvert 
all  our  civil  rights.  It  is  too  well  known  what  nation  that  king  (James  II.) 
favored,  of  what  religion  he  died,  and  no  less  what  must  have  been  the  execra- 
ble treachery  of  him  who  parted  with  Acadia  or  Nova  Scotia,  and  the  noble  fl^her.v 
on  that  coast." 


25C 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


gianoe  to  the  British  crown,  and  to  enlist  their  sympathies  in 
behiilf  of  France.  A  legislative  act  was  therefore  passed,  as 
early  as  March,  1700,  which  ordered  the  Catholic  missionaries  to 
leave  the  State  before  the  tenth  day  of  the  next  September, 
under  penalty  of  exemplary  punishment. 

This  was  an  act  of  intolerance.  But  if  it  were  true,  as  the 
legislature  fully  believed,  that  these  missionaries  were  endeavor- 
ing to  incite  the  savages  to  renew  their  horrible  scenes  of  con- 
flagration, scalping,  and  murder,  this  was  the  mildest  punishment, 
which,  under  the  circumstances,  could  have  been  inflicted  upon 
them. 

Gov.  Dudley  arranged  to  hold  a  council  personally  with  the 
sagamores  of  the  eastern  tribes,  that  he  might  learn  their 
disposition  and  intentions.  The  assembly  met  at  Falmouth,  on 
the  Casco  peninsula,  the  20th  of  June,  1703.  It  was  evident 
that  the  sagamores  did  not  feel  that  it  was  safe  for  them  to  rely 
upon  the  honor  of  the  Englisli.  They  came,  prepared  to  defend 
themselves,  if  treachery  were  to  be  practised  upon  them. 

Eleven  sagamores  appeared,  representing  five  of  the  most 
important  tribes  in  Maine.  Gov.  Dudley,  aware  of  the  effect 
of  imposing  appearances  upon  the  savages,  came  in  almost  regal 
pomp.  A  numerous  retinue  of  gentlemen  from  Massachusetts 
and  New  Hampshire  accompanied  him. 

But  the  Indians,  in  the  splendor  of  the  occasion,  quite  eclipsed 
their  white  brethren.  The  sagamores  entered  the  fine  harbor 
of  Portland  in  the  balmy  sunshine  of  a  June  day,  with  a  fleet 
of  sixty-five  canoes,  containing  two  hundred  and  fifty  plumed 
and  painted  warriors,  in  their  richest  display  of  embroidered  and 
fringed  and  gorgeously-colored  habiliments.  They  were  all 
well  armed  ;  and  the  beholders  were  much  impressed  by  their 
martial  appearance.^ 

The  governor  had  brought  a  large  tent,  sufficiently  capacious 
to  accommodate  his  suite  and  the  Indian  chiefs.  When  all  had 
assembled,  the  governor  arose,  and  said,  — 

"I  have  come  to  you  commissioned  by  the  great  and  good  Queen  of  Eng- 
land. I  would  esteem  you  all  as  brothers  and  friends.  It  is  my  wish  to 
reconcile  every  difficulty  whatever  that  has  happened  since  the  last  treaty. " 

1  History  of  the  Indinn  Wars,  by  Saniitol  PanhaHow;  OoU.  of  N.  H,  Hlat,  Socv., 
vol.  1.  p.  20. 


THE  history'  OF  MAINE. 


257 


^  A  Tarratine  chief,  called  Simmo,  rose  to  reply.     With  great 
dignity  of  manner  he  said,  — 

**  We  thank  you,  good  brother,  for  coming  so  far  to  talk  with  ua.  It  is  a 
great  favor.  The  clouds  gather,  and  darken  the  sky.  But  we  still  sing 
with  love  the  songs  of  peace.  Believe  my  words.  So  far  as  the  sun  is 
above  the  earth,  so  far  are  our  thoughts  from  war,  or  from  the  least  desire 
of  a  rupture  between  us." 

Presents  were  then  exchanged,  and,  with  some  simple  yet 
solemn  ceremonials,  professions  of  friendship  were  ratified.  The 
council  continued  in  session  for  two  or  three  days.  Several 
subjects  were  discussed.  Bomaseen,  of  whom  we  have  before 
spoken,  is  reported,  during  the  conference,  to  have  said, 

«'  Although  several  missionaries  have  come  to  us,  sent  by  the  French,  to 
break  the  peace  between  the  English  and  us,  yet  their  words  have  made  no 
impression  upon  us.  We  are  as  firm  as  the  mountains,  and  will  so  continue 
as  long  as  the  sim  and  moon  endure."  * 

Professions  of  cordial  frendship  were  uttered  on  both  sides 
Every  thing  seemed  to  indicate  a  settled  peace.     The  fraterniza 
tion  was  rather  French  in  its  character  than  English ;  for  there 
was  feasting,  shouting,  dancing,  and  singing,  according  to  the 
most  approved  measures  of  French  jollification. 

The  joyful  tidings  spread  rapidly,  and  lifted  a  very  heavy  bur- 
den from  the  hearts  of  the  people,  who  were  appalled  in  con- 
templating the  horrors  of  another  Indian  war.  Many  were 
preparing  to  flee  again  to  the  safer  regions  of  Massachusetts. 
But  now  they  were  encouraged  to  remain.  A  gentle  tide  of 
emigration  began  also  to  flow  in,  influenced  by  the  cheapness  of 
the  laud,  the  richness  of  the  soil,  the  abundance  of  valuable 
timber,  and  the  fisheries,  which  were  yielding  such  valuable 
returns.' 

Some  suspected  the  Indians  of  having  treacherous  intentions 
at  this  council.  And  this  was  simply  because,  in  firing  a  salute 
in  celebration  of  the  conclusion  of  peace,  their  guns  were  found 
loaded  with  balls.     But  the  Indians  never  thought  of  loading 

1  Drake,  book  iii.  p.  117. 

*  Penhallow's  Hlstorv  of  tlm  VJara  nt  "Ka-ar  V>r.r.\^^A    ~    ■ 


2fi8 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


their  guns  with  powder  only.  They  had  often  been  betrayed. 
They  had  many  not  unreasonable  suspicions,  that  the  proposed 
council  was  merely  a  trap,  in  which  the  treacherous  English 
were  plotting  to  seize  all  their  principal  sagcmores.  They, 
therefore,  came  prepared  to  defend  themselves,  should  it  be 
necessary  to  do  so.^ 

"  King  Philip's  War,"  so  called,  lasted  but  three  years ;  but 
they  were  years  fraught  with  inconceivable  woe.  Even  civilized 
men  in  war  gradually  lose  all  humane  attributes.  The  average 
savage  becomes  a  perfect  demon.  The  second  conflict  was 
usually  called  "  King  William's  War."  It  originated  in  dissen- 
sions between  the  courts  of  France  and  England,  which  plunged 
the  two  nations  into  hostilities.  The  French  endeavored  to 
weaken  her  foe  by  the  capture  of  her  New  England  colonies.  The 
savages  were  not  reluctant  to  engage  in  their  service  as  allies ; 
for  they  had  a  chance  of  thus  recovering  their  country  from 
settlers  whom  they  began  to' dislike  and  dread.  This  dreadful 
war,  in  which  savage  ferocity  received  a  new  and  terrible 
impulse  from  French  science  and  supplies,  lasted  ten  years. 

John  Bull  has  never  been  a  favorite  in  any  land  where  he  has 
placed  his  foot.  The  Indians  never  loved  the  English.  There 
were  individual  exceptions;  but  the  English,  generally,  were 
only  tolerated  by  the  natives.  An  air  of  melancholy  now  per- 
vaded the  minds  of  all  the  reflecting  sagamores.  They  saw 
their  tribes  fast  dwindling,  while  the  English  were  increasing  in 
numbers  and  power.  Extensive  territory,  formerly  the  undis- 
puted hunting-grounds  of  the  tribes,  was  npw  claimed  by  the 
inv^iders,  either  as  theirs  by  the  right  of  conquest,  or  by  purchase, 
which  both  parties  knew  to  be  fraudulent.  The  English  were 
arrogant,  domineering,  apparently  regarding  the  Indian  as  one 
who  had  no  rights  which  an  Englishman  ws  bound  to  respect. 
The  French  had  identified  themselves  with  the  Indians,  married 
into  their  families,  taught  them  many  arts  of  war,  and  abundantly 
supplied  them  with  the  best  of  arms  and  ammunition.    They 

«  "  Bomaseeu,  a  sachem  of  a  tribe  cf  the  Kennebecs,  whose  residence  was  at  an 
ancient  seat  of  the  sagamores,  called  Norridgewock,  in  1694,  came  to  the  fort  at 
I'emaquld,  with  a  flag  of  truce.  Eve  vsras  treacherously  seized  by  those  who  com- 
manded, and  sent  prisoner  to  Boston,  where  he  remained  some  months  in  a  loath- 
Rome  pfiaOii."  — D'.'Sks,  p.  111. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


259 


had  very  zealo  sly  imbued  their  minds  with  the  principles  of 
the  Catholic  religion,  whose  ceremonies  were  peculiarly  calcu- 
lated Iv;  captivate  the  untutored  savage.  They  had  also,  in 
some  degree,  transferred  to  their  minds  the  Frenchman's  hered- 
itary hatred  uf  the  Englishman.  Mr.  Williamson,  in  his  admira- 
ble "  History  of  Maine,"  fairly  represents  the  prevailing  English 
(Reeling  with  regard  to  the  Indians.     He  writes, — 

•'  They  agreed  with  the  French  in  their  aversion  to  the  English,  and  in  a 
iiatred  of  their  free  politics  and  religious  sentiments.  And  when  such  pas- 
sions, in  minds  undisciplined,  are  influenced  by  fanaticism,  they  know 
neither  mstraints  nor  limits.  All  their  acquaintance  with  the  arts  of  civil- 
ized life  seemed  rather  to  abase  than  elevate  their  character. 

' '  They  made  no  advancements  in  mental  culture,  moral  sense,  honest 
industry,  or  mauly  enterprise.  Infatuated  with  the  notion  of  Catholic  indul- 
gei  "s,  they  grew  bolder  in  animosity,  insolence,  and  crime.  Their  enmity 
was  more  implacable,  their  habits  more  depraved;  and  a  keener  appetite 
was  given  for  ardent  spirits,  for  rapine,  and  for  blood.  Dupes  to  the  French, 
they  lost  all  regard  to  the  sanctity  of  treaty  obligations.  Indian  faith,  among 
the  English,  became  as  proverbially  bad  as  Punic  among  the  ancient  Ko- 
mans."i 

M.  Callieres,  governor  at  Montreal,  whatever  may  have  been 
his  motives,  in  fact  adopted  a  very  different  policy  from  that  of 
the  English.  He  sent  envoys  to  the  broken  and  despairing 
remnants  of  the  tribes  in  Maine,  inviting  them  to  emigrate  to 
Canada.  He  set  apart  for  them  large  and  inviting  tracts  of 
land  on  the  banks  of  the  Becancourt  and  the  St.  Francois, 
—  streams  which  flow  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  from  the  south, 
eighty  or  ninety  miles  above  Quebec.  On  each  of  these  rivers, 
clusters  of  wigwams  arose.  The  villages  were  pleasantly  situ- 
ated, each  with  a  church  and  a  paisonage  house.  A  ferry  was 
also  established  for  the  convenience  of  the  Indians  in  crossing 
the  St.  Lawrence  to  Trois  Rividres,  on  the  opposite  shore.'' 

With  such  different  treatment,  there  can  be  no  question  as  to 
the  side  to  which  the  Indian  would  incline  in  case  of  hostilities. 
The  remnants  of  four  tribes  repaired  to  the  spot  to  which  they 

1  Williamson,  vol.  il.  p.  40. 

2  History  of  the  French  Dominions  in  North  and  South  America,  by  Thomas 
Jeffreys,  pp.  9-11;  Topographical  Description  of  Canada,  bv  Josepli  Bouchetto, 
p.  338. 


I 


260 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


were  thus  hospitably  invited,  and  blended  into  a  new  tribe,  called 
the  St.  Frangois  Indians.  It  is  interesting  to  see  how  differently 
precisely  the  same  facts  may  be  presented  according  to  the  views 
of  the  writer.  The  very  candid  Mr.  Williamson  writes,  and 
perhaps  with  truth  (for  who  can  read  the  hu.naan  heart  ?),  "  At 
these  places,  designed  to  be  the  rendezvous  or  the  natives,  the 
French  intended  to  command  their  trade  and  plunder,  to  plan 
their  excursions,  and  direct  their  motions  against  the  English 
frontiers."  ^ 

Baron  Castine  had  returned  to  France  from  his  extensive 
landed  estate  on  the  Penobscot.  He  had  left  behind  him,  in 
possession  of  the  large  property,  his  son  and  heir,  called  Castine 
the  Younger.  He  was  the  child  of  Castine's  Tarratine  wife, 
who,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  daughter  of  the  renowned, 
and  at  least  partially-civilized,  sagamore,  Madokawando.  A 
riotous  band  of  worthless  Englishmen  met  at  the  house  of 
young  Castine,  under  pretenc^  of  making  him  a  friendly  visit. 

Regarding  their  host  as  half  Indian,  they  treated  him  with 
every  indignity.  Rioting  through  his  house  like  veritable 
savages,  they  plundered  it  of  every  thing  which  they  deemed 
worth  carrying  away.  It  was  one  of  the  basest  acts  of  treachery, 
and  was  so  regarded  by  all  respectable  men."  The  government 
denounced  it  iii  severe  terms,  promising  M.  Castine  restitution, 
and  assuring  him  that  the  offender^  if  they  could  be  arrested, 
should  be  severely  punished.  The  event  was  the  more  deeply- 
deplored,  since  there  were  indications  of  another  war  between 
France  and  England.  Such  a  war  would  inevitably  involve  the 
colonies;  and  Indian  warriors,  led  by  French  officers,  might 
inflict  an  incalc  >iable  amount  of  mjury. 

Soon  France  and  England  again  grappled  in  what  was  called 
"  Queen  Anne's  War,"  and,  in  the  New  England  colonies,  the 
"Third  Indian  War."  All  over  the  world.  Frenchmen  and 
Englishmen  deemed  themselves  enemies,  who  were  bound  to  do 
each  other  all  the  injury  in  their  power.     A  special  effort  was 


1  WilliamBon,  vol.  U.  p.  40. 

a  "  Outrageous,  liowever,  aa  it  was,  the  well-minded  sufferer  only  complained 
•nd  expostulated,  without  avenging  himself;  for,  in  policy  and  sentiment,  he  was 
the  friend  of  tru.iqnillity,"  —  Williarnxnn.^  yoL  ii=  p,  42. 


THE  HI  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


961 


to  be  made  in  the  New  World,  by  the  English,  to  wrench  colonien 
from  the  French,  and,  by  the  French,  to  wrest  them  from  the 
English.  Unfortunately,  the  savages  were  far  more  ready  to 
rally  beneath  the  banners  of  France  than  beneath  those  of  Great 
Britain. 

Early  in  August,  1703,  a  body  of  five  hundred  French  and 
Indians  entered  upon  the  eastern  frontiers  of  Maine.  These 
well-apmed  troops  had  but  feeble  foes  to  encounter.  They 
divided  into  six  or  seven  parties,  of  about  seventy-five  men 
each,  to  attack  the  infant  settlements,  where  scarcely  any  resist- 
ance was  to  be  anticipated.  On  the  same  day,  the  10th  of 
August,  Wells,  Cape  Porpoise,  Saco,  Scarborough,  Spurwink, 
Purpooduck,  and  Casco  were  assailed.  The  consternation  and 
destruction  were  such,  that  no  detailed  record  was  made  of 
the  awful  scenes  which  ensued.  In  Wells,  thirty-nine  of  the 
inhabitants  were  either  killed,  or  carried  into  captivity.'  This 
is  all  we  know  of  the  terrible  tragedy.  What  dwellings  were 
burned,  what  scenes  of  individual  anguish  and  suffering  oc- 
curred, must  remain  untold,  till,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  all  the 
secrets  of  this  fearful  drama  of  time  and  sin  shall  be  revealed. 

Mr.  Bourne,  in  his  valuable  "  History  of  Wells  and  Kenne- 
bunk,"  after  tireless  research,  has  collected  a  few  interesting 
traditionary  narratives,  which  are  probably  founded  in  fact,  and 
which  are  but  a  repetition  of  those  scenes  of  horror  with  which 
the  reader  is  already  familiar. 

A  few  fishermen  only  resided  at  Cape  Porpoise.  The  demo- 
niac assailants  plundered  their  humble  homes,  laid  them  in  ashes, 
and  carried  the  inmates,  all  whom  they  could  seize,  off  as  prison- 
ers. At  Winter  Harbor  *  there  was  a  small  garrison.  They 
fought  for  a  short  time  bravely ;  but  after  having  several  killed 


•  "  The  horrors  of  that  day  cannot  he  depicted,  — families  broken  up,  hus- 
bands, wives,  or  children  taken  from  the  home  circle.  Almost  every  one  had  lost 
a  friend  dear  to  his  heart.  Many  were  wounded,  barely  escaping  death  or  cap- 
tivity. "Valuable  citizens,  on  whom  reliance  was  placed  for  protection  and  support 
in  this  ten'ible  crisis,  were  either  killed,  or  carried  away,  exposed  to  the  relentless 
cruelty  of  the  savage  enoray."  —  History  of  Wells  and  Kennehxink,  by  Edward  E, 
Bourne,  p,  245. 

2  "  The  celebrated  place  called  '  Winter  Harbor,'  after  an  ancient  inhabitant 
there  by  the  name  of  Winter,  is  above  Wood  Island,  six  miles  below  Saco  bridge, 
and  the  head  of  the  tide."  —  Williamton,  vol.  i.  p.  20. 


262 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


«nd  wounded,  and  being  overpowered  by  numbers,  the  survivors 
v/orfi  loll  M-Ued  to  surrender  themselves  to  captivity.  Eleven 
were  killud,  and  twenty-four  were  captured. 

The  people  of  Scarborough  seem  to  have  received  some  inti- 
mation of  the  approach  of  the  foe ;  and  all,  hurrying  into  the 
garrison,  prepared  to  defend  themselves  to  the  last  extremity. 
A  flag  of  truce  was  sent  to  the  fort  by  a  captive.  The  bearer 
was  detained  and  no  answer  returned.  After  a  "  long  siege," 
when  the  men  were  completely  exhausted,  and  were  on  the 
point  of  capitulating,  re-enforceraents  arrived,  and  the  baffled 
foe  retired.  Undoubtedly  every  thing  outside  of  the  garrison 
was  destroyed. 

In  Spurwink,*  twenty-two  were  killed,  or  taken  captive ;  and 
the  little  settlement  was  laid  entirely  desolate.  Purpooduck 
contained  but  nine  log-cabins.  The  families  were  taken  entirely 
by  surprise.  It  so  happened  that  all  the  men  were  away.  Only 
women  and  children  were  left  behind.  The  savages,  allies  of 
men  who  called  themselves  Christians,  burned  down  the  dwell- 
ings, butchered  twenty-five  of  the  helpless  inmates,  and  carried 
away  eight  as  prisoners.  The  horrid  spectacle  of  mangled 
bodies  which  they  left  behind  is  too  revolting  to  be  recorded. 

The  little  settlement  at  Casco,"  where  there  was  a  garrison, 
was  the  most  remote  eastern  frontier.  A  new  fort  had  been 
constructed  here,  which  was  placed  under  the  command  of 
Major  John  March,  with  a  garrison  of  thirty  men.*  The  three 
Indian  chiefs  who  led  the  assailing  party  were  Moxus,  Wanun- 
gonet,  and  Assacombuit,  all  sagamores  of  gr.eat  renown.  The 
last  will  be  remembered  as  the  chief  who  was  knighted  by 
Louis  XIV.,  and  received  a  present  of  an  elegant  sword. 

»  Scarborough  extends  toward  the  east,  six  miles  in  width  on  the  coast,  to  the 
moiith  of  Spurwink  River,  which  seems  to  cut  o£E,  as  it  bounds  the  eastwardly 
corner  of  the  town."  —  Willianuion,  vol.  i.  p.  24. 

2  '<  The  old  Indian  name  '  Casco '  continued  to  be  used  all  the  first  century  after 

the  settlement,  notwithstanding  the  town  had  received  from  Massach\i.«etts  the 

corporate  name  '  Falmouth,'  as  early  as  1058,  The  plautation  upon  the  Neck,  and, 

Indeed,  all  others  in  the  Lay,  were  called  by  the  general  name  of  '  Caaco '  or  '  Casco 

Bay.'    No  boundaries  were  defined;  but,  when  a  particiilar  spot  was  designated, 

the  local  terms,  borrowed  principally  from  the  Indians,  were  naed."  —  Hist(yrt/  of 

Portland,  by  William  Willis,  pp.  49-96. 

'The  Bite  of  this  fort  was  not  on  Caaco  Neck,  where  Portland  nowetanda,  bnt  at  what  wai 
palled  New  Casco,  on  the  shore  of  the  bay,  in  tho_  present  town  of  Falmouth,    "rhe  Neck  had 

betju  iyiii^  Uc»ol;it«  binco  iCOO,  uitci "us  iciiOTTn  r^ 

wMch  had  sprung  up  on  the  shore  of  tlie  bay,- 


-  Elwell, 


^'asco 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAIN  J! 


tea 


It  is  said,  we  know  not  by  what  authority,  that  the  three 
sagamores  sent  a  flag  of  truce,  inviting  Major  March  to  a  con- 
lerence.  Though  he  suspected  treachery,  he  went  out  upon  the 
plain  to  meet  them,  unarmed,  and  taking  with  him  only  two 
very  aged  and  infirm  men.  The  chiefs  saluted  him  with  civility, 
and  then,  drawing  their  tomahawks  from  beneath  their  robes, 
the  three  fell  furiously  upon  Major  March  ;  while  his  two  com- 
panions, Messrs.  Phippen  and  Kent,  were  shot  down  by  Indians 
in  ambush.'  March,  being  a  very  strong  man,  wrested  a  toma- 
hawk from  one  of  his  assailants,  and  valiantly  defended  himself 
against  the  three.  All  this  could  scarcely  have  occupied  one 
single  minute  of  time ;  and  yet,  at  that  very  minute,  Sergeant 
Hook  arrived,  with  a  file  of  ten  men,  from  the  fort,  and  rescued 
the  major  from  his  peril.  This  story  seems  so  very  improbable, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  give  it  full  credence.' 

The  siege  continued  six  days  and  six  nights.  Tiiere  was  no 
repose  for  the  inmates  of  the  garrison,  as  every  moment  an 
assault  was  expected  from  overpowering  numbers.  At  the  close 
of  the  six  days,  the  enemy  received  a  re-enfovcement,  increasing 
their  number  to  about  five  hundred.'  The  new  arrivals  con- 
sisted of  detachments  flushed  with  victory.  M.  Bobassin,  a 
French  officer,  then  assumed  command.  He  bi-ought  with  him 
a  sloop  and  two  shallops,  which  he  had  captured,  and  also 
much  plunder.  Scientifically  he  went  to  work  in  an  attempt 
to  undermine  the  fort  on  the  water-side.  As  the  fort  was  situ- 
ated on  a  high  bank,  this  could  be  done  without  exposure  to 
any  fire  from  the  garrison.  Their  force  was  so  superior  to  that 
of  the  English,  that  they  had  nothing  to  fear  from  a  sally. 

They  were  advancing  in  this  engineering  very  rapidly  and 
prosperously,  and  were  on  the  eve  of  the  capture,  when  an 
urmed  vessel,  commanded  by  Capt.  Cyprian  Southack,  came  to 
the  aid  of  the  despairing  garrison.  Probably  the  vessel  was 
armed  with  cannon,  which  the  assailants,  having  muskets  only, 
could  not  resist.     The  tide  of  victory  was  turned.     The  French 

1  Penhallow,  in  bis  history  of  Indian  wars,  writes,  "  Phippen  and  Kent,  being 
advanced  in  years,  \^-ere  so  infinn,  that  I  might  say  of  them,  as  Juvenal  said  of 
Priam,  '  They  had  scarce  blood  enough  to  tinge  the  knife  of  the  sacriilce.' " 

»  Willis's  History  of  Portland,  p.  314. 

•  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  42. 


864 


rnE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


and  Indians,  abandoning  oveiy  thing,  fled  precipitately.  This 
magnificent  bay  was  full  of  indentations,  into  which  the  canoes 
of  the  savages  could  glide.  Capt.  Southack  recaptured  thtj 
sloop  and  two  shallops  ;  but  the  French  and  Indians,  having  a 
flotilla  of  two  hundred  birch  canoes,  effected  theii  escape. 

The  soldiers  of  the  garrison  now  came  out  to  view  the  deso- 
lations which  this  savage  warfare  had  caused.  Every  thing 
which  would  burn  was  reduced  to  ashes.  Nothing  remained  but 
shapeless  ruins.  When  Major  March  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  this  post,  he  mr  ved  there  with  his  family.  Being  a 
gentleman  of  considerable  means  and  great  energy,  he  was  soon 
in  possession  of  a  very  thrifty  farm.  He  wrote  to  the  General 
Court,  that  he  had  lost,  by  the  attack,  a  sloop  and  its  furniture, 
eighty-nine  head  of  sheep  and  cattle,  five  acres  and  a  half  of 
wheat,  six  acres  of  excellent  pease,  and  four  acres  and  a  half  of 
Indian  corn.  His  whole  loss  exceeded  five  hundred  pounds.' 
It  is  estimated,  that,  in  this  brief  campaign,  the  enemy  killed  or 
captured  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  inhabitants  of  Maine.' 

>  Bourne's  History  of  Wells  and  Keunebunk,  p.  314. 

s  "  To  arm  a  force  sufficient  to  repel  their  cniel  invaders,  government  deemed  It 
necessary  to  call  to  its  aid  the  avarice  of  the  people;  and  they  offered  a  bounty  of 
forty  pounds  for  every  Indian  scalp  that  should  be  brought  in.  This  excited  a 
spirit  of  enterprise  in  the  inhabitants,  which  made  them  endure  incredible  hard- 
ships in  pursuing  the  enemy  through  the  forests,  in  the  depths  of  winter,  to 
procure  this  valuable  merchandise."  —  Hittorv  0/  PoHland,  by  William  Wmi$t 
p.  819. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


TUB  RIVAL  CLAIMS  OP  FRANCE  AND  ENGLAND. 

Jocelyn'B  Visit — The  Destruction  of  Blaclt  Point  —  Tiie  Vicissitudes  of  War — 
A  Naval  expedition  —  Merclle.sH  Ravages  —  Destruction  at  Port  Royal  —  The 
Expedition  to  Norrldgewock  —  Exchange  of  Prisoners  —  Treason  suspected 
—  Incidents  of  the  Conflict  —  A  Renewed  Attack  upon  Port  Royal  — Rage 
of  Gov.  Dudley  —  The  Third  Attack  and  its  Failure  —  Naval  Battle  at  Winter 
Harbor  — The  Conquest  of  Nova  Scotia— The  Commission  to  Quebec  — 
Exchange  of  Menaces. 

THIS  sudden  outburst  of  savage  violence  threw  the  whole 
region  into  a  state  of  terrible  confusion.  Many  fled ;  others 
assembled  their  families  in  the  crowded  and  consequently  com- 
fortless garrison-houses,  and  went  armed,  and  in  bands,  to  their 
work.  Massachu'^oits,  with  her  customary  energy,  sent  prompt 
aid.  A  troop  of  horsen  >'n  was  quartered  at  Wells.  Three 
hundred  and  sixty  men  were  marched  to  Pegwacket,*  which  was 
one  of  the  principal  resorts  of  the  Indians.  Another  well-armed 
band  was  sent  to  Ohsipee  Ponds.^ 

The  hostile  bands  of  French  and  Indians  continued  to  ravage 
the  seacoast,  apparently  resolved  to  destroy  every  garrison,  to 
lay  every  settlement  in  ruins,  and  entirely  to  depopulate  the 
country  of  its  English  inhabitants.  There  was  a  region  called 
Black  Point,  then  quite  noted,  which  was  a  portion  of  the 

1  "Betwteen  Fryeburg  Academy  and  Saco  River  is  tlie  celebrated  Lovell's 
Pond,  half  a  league  in  length,  though  loss  than  a  mile  in  width  at  any  place.  This 
beautiful  section  of  country  was  anciently  called  Pegwackot  (Peckwalket,  Pe- 
guawett),  one  of  the  principal  and  most  favorite  lodgements  of  the  Sokokis  tribe, 
and  also  the  theatre  of  a  desperate  battle  witli  the  Indians.  Here  are  curious 
mounds  of  earth,  one  sixty  feet  in  circumference,  artittoially  raised  by  them,  of 
which  no  tradition  nor  conjecture  can  give  any  satisfactory  account."  —  William- 
ton,  vol.  i.  p.  28. 

2  The  Ossipee  River,  one  of  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  Saco,  takes  it^  rise 
among  these  ponds,  a  few  miles  across  the  line  in  New  Hampshire. 

2G5 


266 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


present  town  of  Scarborough.  Capt.  Jocelyn,  to  the  record  of 
whose  voyages  we  ha/e  before  referred,  touched  at  this  place, 
in  the  year  1638,  to  visit  his  brother  Henry,  who  then  resided 
there.     In  his  journal  he  writes,  — 

"  Having  refreshed  myself  for  a  day  or  two  at  Noddle's  Island,  I  crossed 
the  bay  in  a  email  boat  to  Boston,  which  was  then  rather  a  village  than  a 
town,  there  being  not  above  twenty  or  thirty  houses.  The  12th  of  July  I 
took  boat  for  the  eastern  part  of  the  country,  and  arrived  at  Blact  Point,  in 
the  Province  of  Maine,  which  is  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Boston,  the 
fourteenth  day;  the  country  all  along,  as  I  sailed,  being  no  other  than  a 
mere  wilderness,  here  and  there,  by  the  seaside,  a  few  scattered  plantations 
with  as  few  houses."  * 

Here  the  families  were  collected  in  the  garrison-house.  On 
the  morning  of  the  6th  of  October,  1703,  most  of  the  men, 
nineteen  in  number,  all  well  armed,  went  out  together  to  work 
in  the  meadows.  Lieut.  Wyatt  and  eight  men  were  left  to  guard 
the  garrison.  Two  hundred  Indians  rose  from  ambush  upon 
the  working-party,  and  either  killed  or  captured  all  but  one. 
The  victors  then  attacked  the  fort.  There  chanced  to  be  two 
small  vessels  in  the  harbor.  The  crews,  alarmed  by  the  report 
of  the  guns,  hastily  repaired  to  the  aid  of  the  garrisoii.  They 
made  a  bold  resistance.  At  length,  seeing  evidence  that  the 
fort  must  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  overpowering  assailants, 
they  all  succeeded  in  escaping  to  the  vessels. 

The  savages,  with  hideous  yells,  applied  tlie  torch  to  all  the 
dwellings,  and,  like  fiends,  danced  around  the  flames.  The  ves- 
sels bore  their  melancholj'-  freight,  many  of  .them  widows  and 
orphans,  to  some  place  of  safety,  where  they  could  be  fed  and 
clothed  by  the  hand  of  charity.  A  gang  attacked  Arthur  Brag- 
don's  house  in  York,  and  tomahawked  himself,  his  wife,  and  five 
children.  Mrs.  Hannah  Parsons  (a  widow)  and  her  daughter 
were  carried  into  captivity.  It  is  said,  that,  returning  to  Canada, 
the  savages  came  near  L^tarvation.  In  this  great  extremity,  they 
were  about  to  kill  the  child,  and  built  a  fire  to  roast  and  eat  her, 
when  a  dog  fell  in  their  way,  and  supplied  the  place  of  the  little 
girl.'    At  Berwick,  two  houses  were  burned,  one  man  was  killed, 

1  Jocelyn'3  Voyages,  pp.  18,  20. 

»  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massacluisetts,  voL  ii.  p.  149. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


267 


^ 


one  wmmded,  and  three  carried  into  captivity.  They  attacked 
the  garrison,  but  "were  repulsed.  In  their  rage  they  bound  ono 
of  their  prisoners,  Joseph  Ring,  to  a  stake,  and  tortured  him  ',o 
death  with  every  device  of  demoniac  croelty.  They  danced 
around  their  victim,  responding  to  every  groan  with  shouts  ami 
yells  of  delight. 

Major  March  of  Casco,  with  three  hundred  men,  pursued  a 
band  of  the  retiring  foe  as  far  as  Pegwacket,  where  he  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  six,  in  capturing  six,  and  in  recovering  consid- 
erable plunder.  It  is  said  that  this  was  the  first  loss  which  the 
savages  experienced  in  this  desolating  campaign.  The  liberal 
reward  offered  by  the  legislature  for  Indian  scalps,  which  in- 
cluded a  bounty  of  twenty  pounds  for  every  Indian  child  under 
ten  years  of  age,  induced  Capt.  Tyng  and  several  others  to 
organize  hunting-parties  to  traverse  the  wilderness  on  snow- 
shoes,  in  mid-winter,  to  hunt  down  the  savages ;  but  all  these 
expeditions  were  unsuccessful. 

During  this  melancholy  winter,  the  government  expended 
nearly  a  thousand  dollars  in  establishing  a  strong  garrison  near 
the  falls  in  Saco.  Spring  came,  with  its  sunny  skies  and  swell- 
ing buds,  only  to  renew  the  terror  of  the  people.  This  was  the 
season  for  the  savages  to  re-open  their  campaigning.  The 
French,  in  Canada,  had  furnished  their  allies  with  ample  sup- 
plies. 

Major  Mason,  with  nearly  a  hundred  friendly  Indians,  belong- 
ing to  the  Pequods  and  Mohegans  of  Connecticut,  was  stationed 
r*;  Berwick.  StiU  the  prowling  savages  succeeded  in  shooting 
several  persons,  and,  in  expression  of  their  hatred,  horribly 
mangled  their  remains.  In  addition  to  these  marauding-parties, 
plundering,  burning,  and  murdering  on  the  land,  French  pri- 
vateers swept  the  coast.  Not  a  fishing-boat  could  leave  a  bay 
or  inlet  without  danger  of  capture.  It  is  often  said  that  an 
offensive  is  the  best  defensive  war.  It  was  decided  to  be  expe- 
dient to  attacjt  the  French  in  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia.  Thus 
the  desolations  of  war  would  be  removed  from  Maine  into  the 
regions  of  the  enemy,  and  the  French  would  be  constrained  to 
retain  their  forces  at  home  for  the  protection  of  their  own  fire- 
sides. 


868 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


I 


An  expedition  was  intrusted  to  Major  Benjamin  Church,  who 
had  obtained  much  renown  in  Indian  warfare.  He  was  invested 
with  the  title  of  colonel ;  and  five  hundred  men  were  placed 
under  his  command.  Three  vessels-of-war  convoyed  his  little 
fleet  of  fifty-one  boats,  of  various  sizes.  One  of  the  war-ships 
carried  forty-eight  guns,  the  other  thirty-two.  The  third  was  a 
province  galley.     The  fleet  sailed  from  Boston  the  21st  of  May, 

1704. 

The  vessels  first  cast  anchor  at  the  Island  of  Metinicus,  just 
out  of  Penobscot  Bay.  Two  armed  boats  were  sent  to  a  neigh- 
boring island,  where  they  captured  a  French  family  and  a 
Canadian  Indian.  The  captives  were  not  disposed  to  be  com- 
municative. But  threats  extorted  from  them  the  information 
that  there  were  several  other  cabins  along  the  shores  in  the 
vicinity,  and  that  some  French  officers  were  building  a  fort  at 
Passamaquoddy.  The  prisoners  were  compelled  to  act  as  pilots 
in  conducting  several  armed  boats  to  the  dwellings  of  theu: 

friends. 

These  were  not  days  of  forbearance  and  mercy.  The  atro- 
cities which  had  been  perpetrated  by  the  French  and  Indians 
were  such,  that  the  avengers  were  ready  to  shoot  down  men, 
•  women,  and  children  as  pitilessly  as  if  they  had  been  so  many 
wolves.  Still  it  was  expedient  to  take  as  many  captives  as  pos- 
sible, that  they  might  be  used  as  ransom  for  English  prisoners. 

Quite  a  number  of  both  French  and  Indians  were  killed  ;  and 
several  captives  were  taken.  Among  the  latter  was  a  daughter 
of  Baron  Castine  with  her  children,  we  know  not  how  many. 
Her  husband,  a  gentleman  of  wealth  and  culture,  was  then  on 
a  visit  to  France. 

Again  the  fleet  spread  its  sails.  After  a  brief  tarry  at  Mount 
Desert,  the  party  proceeded  to  Passamaquoddy  Bay,  in  whose 
lonely  waters  a  secret  place  of  anchorage  was  sought.^  A 
squadron  of  whale-boats  was  despatched,  led  by  Col.  Church 

>  "Passaraqnoddy  Bay  lies  partly  in  the  State  of  Maine,  and  partly  in  the 
iritish  Province  of  New  BninsAvick.  It  is  six  miles  wide,  and  twelve  miles  lonfe; 
It  has  a  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  the  largest  vessels,  and  is  neve:-  closed  bj  ice 
It  abounds  with  cod,  mackerel,  herring,  and  other  fish.  The  boundary  of  the 
TTnited  States  passes  through  it,  on  its  Avest  side,  into  St.  Uroix  Elver,  wbltTi 
«uters  its  north-west  part ."  —  MjChHoc/i's  Geographical  Dictionary. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


26& 


himself,  to  explore  the  shores.  That  the  settlers  in  the  lonely 
cabins  might  not  be  apprised  of  his  approach,  and  thus  escape 
into  the  woods,  he  rowed  by  night,  and  kept  concealed  by  day. 
Orders  were  given,  that  not  a  gun  should  be  fired,  even  to  shoot 
an  Indian,  if  he  could  poSsibly  be  killed,  or  taken,  in  any  other 
way. 

Thus  he  succeeded  in  capturing,  one  after  another,  four 
French  emigrant  families.  They  were  all  poor,  and  there  was 
but  little  plunder  in  their  log-cabins  worth  taking ;  but,  such 
as  it  was,  it  was  seized,  and  placed  in  the  boats.  One  of  the 
captures  consisted  of  the  family  of  a  poor  French  widow,  with 
her  orphan-children.  Col.  Church  was  energetic  and  merciless. 
The  scenes  of  horror  he  had  witnessed  had  roused  his  soul  to 
the  highest  pitch  of  rage,  and  had  hardened  his  heart.  The 
readiness  with  which  he  would  retaliate  upon  helpless  one  a,  no 
matter  how  innocent,  the  wrongs  which  demoniac  men  had  in- 
flicted upon  the  dwellers  in  Maine,  drew  down  upon  him  severe 
censure,  and  has  materially  dimmed  the  splendor  of  his  other- 
wise great  exploits.  He  then  ravaged  the  surrounding  region 
with  the  indiscriminate  mercilessness  of  the  tornado.  The 
widow  and  the  orphan  were  alike  the  victims  of  his  fury.* 

From  Passamaquoddy  Bay,  the  armair  jnt  sailed  out  into  the 
Bay  of  Fundy,  that  immense  sheet  of  water  which  separates 
New  Brunswick  from  Nova  Scotia,  and  renders  the  latter  prov- 
ince so  nearly  an  island,  that  it  is  entered  by  a  reck  of  land 
only  about  twenty  miles  wide.  Here  the  avenging  squadron 
divided.  The  ships,  with  several  of  the  boats,  crosst  1  the  bay, 
8.  distance  of  about  sixty  miles,  to  Port  Royd  (Annapolis). 

The  day  before  the  arrival  of  the  fleet,  Castine  th-  foujiger, 
with  about  sixty  Canadian  soldiers,  had  re-enforceu  thj  garrison 
in  their  strong  works.  The  fort  was  deem-d  t  '"rmidable  to 
be  attacked.'*  But  the  troops  in  garrison  :ui.u  not  veature 
beyond  the  protection  of  their  ramparts. 

Col.  Church  made  terrible  havoc  of  all  the  settlpr-xents  around. 
Many  persons  were  killed  ;  an^^  iittev  desolaion  took  the  place 


»  Collections  of  Now  Hampshire  HJatorical  Society,  vol.  1.  p.  33-36;  Hutchin- 
son's History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  133. 
«  Universal  History,       .  xl.  p.  1R3. 


270 


THE  UiaTORY  OF  MAINE. 


' 


of  peaceful  homes  and  smiling  fields.  Gov.  Dudley,  in  his  ad- 
dress to  the  legislature,  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  as  a  reward 
for  these  services,  said,  "  Col.  Church  has  destroyed  all  the  set- 
tlements in  the  vicinity  of  Port  Royal,  and  taken  a  hundred 
prisoners  and  a  large  amoiuit  of  plunder,  with  the  loss  of  only 
Bix  men." 

The  whale-boats  ran  along  the  shores,  tlestroying  all  the 
remoter  settlements,  killing,  plundering,  capturing,  and  burn- 
ing. The  triumphant  fleet  returned  to  Boston,  having  been 
absent  but  about  throe  months.  "  War,"  says  Gen.  Sherman, 
*'  is  cruelty  :  you  cannot  refine  it."  This  dreadful,  woe-commis- 
sioned expedition  accomplished  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
intended.  Terrible  as  was  its  infliction  upon  the  Acadians,  it 
averted  from  the  humble  homes  of  Maine  a  doom  still  more 
dreadful.  By  the  English,  captives  were  at  least  treated  with 
ordinary  humanity,  and  were  never  put  to  the  torture.  But 
what  imagination  can  gau^e  the  misery  of  a  Christian  family, 
consisting  of  father,  mother,  and  little  children,  dragged  by 
brutal  savages  through  the  wilderness  for  hundreds  of  miles, 
and  doomed,  perhaps,  to  see  a  husband,  a  father,  or  a  son  tor- 
tured to  death  for  a  savage  holiday ! ' 

The  fort  at  Winter  Harbor,  not  far  from  the  mouth  of  Saco 
River,  was  placed  in  the  best  condition  for  defence  during  the 
winter  of  1705.  At  the  same  time  Col.  Hilton,  who  had 
accompanied  Col.  Church  as  major  in  his  late  expedition,  was 
sent,  with  a  force  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  men,  to  attack 
the  Indian  village  and  French  missionary  station  at  Norridge- 
wock.  Twenty  friendly  Indians  were  inclrded  in  this  party ; 
and  they  all  travelled,  in  dead  of  winter,  through  the  wilderness, 
on  snow-shoes.  Each  soldier  took,  in  a  pack  upon  his  back, 
food  for  twenty  days.     Their  fare  must  indeed  have  been  frugal. 

Immediately  upon  the  proclamation  of  war  between  France 
and  England,  the  govex-uor  of  Canada  sent  the  tidings  to  Nor- 
ridgewock.  A  council  was  held ;  and  the  Indians  decided  to 
become  the  allies  of  the  French.  The  French  missionaries 
must,  of  course,  have  had  much  influence  in  this  decision. 
There  were  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  warriors  who  met  there 


>  Church's  Fifth  Expedition,  p.  U8. 


THE  UISTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


271 


in  this  council.  The  priest,  as  usual,  appointed  religious  ser- 
vices, that  the  hearts  of  the  savages  might  he  inspired  by  the 
sane  Mons  of  religion.* 

The  Indians  were  not  often  take;,  by  surprise.  Their  scouts 
kept  vigilant  watch.  When  the  little  army  reached  Norridge- 
"wock,  after  their  long  and  painful  tramp,  there  was  no  one 
there  '■  all  had  fled.  A  large  chapel,  with  a  vestry,  was  standing, 
and  a  cluster  of  very  comfortable  Indian  wigwams.  Th'^se  the 
soldiers  laid  in  ashes.  Being  much  disappointed  in  nc  .  "'ng 
either  captives,  food,  or  plunder,  they  commenced  th  .ch 

home  through  drifting  snows  and  wintry  gales. 

In  war,  blows  must  be  received  as  well  as  given.  Gov.  Suber- 
case  of  Nova  Scotia  gathered  an  army  of  five  hundred  and 
fifty  French  and  Indians ;  the  savages  being  led  by  the  noted 
Assacombuit.  He  made  terrible  havoc  among  all  the  English 
settlements  within  his  reach.  An  uncounted  number  were 
slain ;  a  hundred  and  forty  were  taken  prisoners  ;  and  a  large 
amount  of  plunder  was  seized.  He  exacted  conflagration  for 
conflagration,  prisoner  for  prisoner,  blood  for  blood.  At  length 
the  prisoners  had  so  accumulated  on  both  sides  as  to  be  quite  a 
burden.  Gov.  Vaudreuil  of  Canada  sent  one  of  his  captives, 
Capt.  Hill,  to  negotiate  an  exchange.  Many  of  the  friends  of 
the  lost  did  not  know  whether  they  had  been  killed,  or  had 
been  made  prisoners.  William  Dudley,  a  son  of  the  governor, 
was  sent  to  Canada  with  seventy  prisoners,  to  receive  an  equal 
number  in  return.  He  could  however,  obtaiu  uut  sixty.  Mr. 
Williamson  writes,  — 

"  Guilty  of  detestable  liypocrisy,  Vaudreuil  pretended  that  the  IndiaViT 
were  an  independent  and  freeborn  people,  and  that,  he  had  no  right  or  power 
to  demand  their  captives  ;  whereas  they  were  in  fact  well  known  to  \)e 
entire  dupes  and  vassals  to  his  will."  ^ 


In  point  of  fact,  the  statement  of  the  French  governor  was 
undoubtedly  true.  The  Indian  chiefs  regarded  the  captives, 
whom  their  own  war-parties  had  taken,  as  exclusively  theJr 
own,  and  entirely  beyond  any  control  of  the  French.     They 

1  History  of  Norrldgewock,  by  William  Allen,  p.  91. 
9  Williamson,  vol.  ii  p.  BO. 


272 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


i  \ 


kept  them  to  exchange  for  their  own  captive  warriors.  The 
French  could  obtain  possession  of  these  victims  only  by  paying 
for  them  a  high  ransom. 

Young  Dudley  protracted  his  discussions  as  long  as  possible, 
under  various  pretexts.  While  the  negotiations  were  under 
consideration,  there  was  a  virtual  truce.  He  thus,  in  some 
degree,  prevented  the  excursions  of  hostile  war-parties  upon  the 
English  frontiers. 

It  is  mournful  to  contemplate  how  little  confidence,  at  times, 
man  can  repose  in  his  fellow-man.  Capt.  William  Rowse  was 
twice  sent  in  a  vessel,  with  a  flag  of  truce  and  twenty-four 
prisoners,  to  Nova  Scotia,  to  effect  an  exchiinge  of  captives. 
He  was  accused  of  treacherously  being  an  accomplice  with  two 
merchants  of  Boston,  and  Samuel  Vetch,  subsequently  the  Eng- 
lish governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  in  carrying  arms,  ammunition,  and 
other  military  supplies,  to  the  enemy.  Thus  the  love  of  gain  in- 
fluenced them  to  take  advantaige  of  the  flag  of  truce,  with  which 
they  had  been  intrusted  by  their  own  government,  to  supply 
the  Indians  with  the  means  of  ravaging,  with  conflagration  and 
slaughter,  the  settlements  of  the  English.  They  were  thrown 
into  prison,  and  condemned  by  the  legislature.  The  neglect  of 
the  queen  to  give  her  signature  to  the  verdict  averted  their 
doom. 

More  deplorable  still.  Gov.  Dudley  himself  was  suspected  of 
being  engaged  in  this  nefarious  traffic.  Though  not  proved 
guilty,  and  perhaps  he  was  entirely  innocent,  still  the  imputa- 
tion rested  upon  him.  Gov.  Dudley  was  g,ristocratio  in  his 
tastes,  and  was  by  no  means  a  cordial  advocate  of  a  republican 
form  of  government.  He  was  consequently  unpopular;  and 
several  of  the  measures  which  he  urged  upon  the  legislature 
were  frowned  down. 

During  the  summer  of  1705,  French  privateers  and  English 
cruisers  were  continually  running  up  and  down  the  coasts  of 
Maine.  The  French  succeeded  in  capturing  seven  of  the  Eng- 
lish vessels.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  garrison  at  Port 
Royal  had  driven  off  their  English  assailants.  And,  though  the 
English  ravaged  all  the  region  around,  the  banners  of  the  French 
still  floated  from  the  ramparts  of  the  strong  fort.     Small  war- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


273 


bands  of  savages,  sometimes  united  with  a  few  French,  con- 
tinued to  prowl  about,  killing,  capturing,  and  burning,  as  they 
could  fin'    opportunity. 

In  Kittery,  five  were  killed,  and  a  number  of  captives  were 
taken.  Among  these  was  Mrs.  Holt,  an  accomplished  lady  of 
high  connections.  For  such  a  person  to  be  a  prisoner  in  the 
hands  of  brutal  savages  must  be  awful  beyond  conception. 
There  were  several  cases  of  the  utter  ruin  of  families  in  assas- 
sination and  capture.  A  band  of  eighteen  Indians,  rushing  from 
the  forest  near  York,  seized  four  little  children  belonging  to  the 
family  of  Mr.  Stover.  One,  being  too  young  to  travel,  they 
knocked  in  the  head.  As.  one  of  their  own  warriors  had  been 
shot  in  their  retreat  with  the  children,  these  demoniac  men  took 
vengeance  by  putting  a  little  boy  to  death  with  awful  tortures. 
On  the  29th  of  April,  a  party  sprang  from  ambush,  at  Kit- 
tery, and  seized  Mr.  Shapley  and  his  son.  The  wretches,  to 
gratify  their  love  of  cruelty,  gnawed  off  the  first  joint  of  each 
finger  and  thumb  of  the  unhappy  young  man,  and  stopped  the 
bleeding  by  inserting  the  mangled  stumps  into  the  bowl  of 
tobacco-pipes,  heated  red  hot.  This  seems  to  have  been  one  of 
their  favorite  modes  of  torture.  Much  havoc  was  perpetrated 
this  year,  in  the  unprotected  settlements  of  Massachusetts  and 
New  Hampshire. 

The  war  had  continued  three  years ;  and  the  Indians,  ever 
fickle,  never  persistent,  began  to  grow  weary  of  it.  Terrible  as 
had  been  the  suffering  they  had  caused,  they  had  reaped  but 
little  benefit  for  themselves.  The  French,  in  Canada,  proposed 
neutrality.  While  the  courts  of  France  and  England  continued 
to  carry  on  the  war,  they  proposed  that  the  P'rench  and  English 
colonies,  struggling  against  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness  in 
tb\  new  world,  should  stand  aloof  from  the  conflict.^ 

X iom  this  peace-offer,  Gov.  Dudley,  we  must  think  very  un- 
wisely, dissented.  He  thought  and  said  that  the  only  way  to 
secure  a  permanent  peace  was  to  drive  the  French  entirely  out 
of  Acadia,  and  to  take  possession  of  the  whole  country  in  the 
name  of  the  Queen  of  England.^ 

1  Wiliiauison,  vol.  il.  p.  63. 

«  Histoiro  de  la  Kouvelle  France,  par  Charlevoix,  vol.  V.  p.  318. 


S74 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINK. 


Thua  the  dreiuy  year  of  1700  passed  away,  with  continued 
burnings,  assassinations,  and  captures.     In  January,  1707,  Col. 
Hilton  was  sent  in  a  vessel  to  Casco,  with  supplies  for  the  garri- 
son  there.     There  were  two  hundred  and  twenty  men  stationed 
ut  that  point,  with  orders  to  range  the  country  as  they  could,  in 
pursuit  of  Indians.     This  was  necessary  but  inglorious  warfare. 
One  day  a  party  struck  upon  an  Indian  trail,  which  they  fol- 
lowed until  they  came  upon  a  wigwam,  where  there  were  four 
Indian  men,  with  a  middle-aged  woman  and  a  babe.     They  shot 
the  men,  and  took  the  woman  and  child  captives.     They  then 
compelled  the  woman,  by  threats  of  death,  to  conduct  them  to  a 
spot  where  eighteen  of  her  companions  were  encamped.     Ihey 
were  all  asleep,  unsuspicious  of  danger.     It  was  just  before  the 
dawn  of  the  morning.     A  well-aimed  volley  of  bullets  instantly 
killed  all  but  one,  and  he  was  captured. 

This  event  caused  great  rejoicing.  The  Indians  were  so  wary, 
that  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  any  of  them  were 
cau.Tht.  In  the  spring  of  1707  another  naval  expedition,  of 
mo"e  than  a  thousand  men,  was  fitted  out  against  Port  Royal. 
Col.  March  was  placed  in  command.  Numerous  transports  and 
whale-boats  were  convoyed  by  a  well-armed  vessel  of  war. 

But  to  attack  a  scientifically-constructed  French  fort,  defended 
by  veteran  French  soldiers,  with  formidable  cannon  irowning 
tiiroucrh  the  portholes,  was  a  very  different  undertaking  from 
that  o'f  burning  the  cabins  of  poor  settlers,  and  shooting  Indians, 
either  asleep  in  their  encampments,  or  running  in  terror  befoi-e 
their  foes.  A  thousand  men  were  disembarked.  Iho  inhabit- 
ants around  all  fled  into  the  fort  for  protection.  A  council  of 
war  decided  that  the  fort  was  too  strong  to  be  taken  by  the 
raw  troops  encamped  before  it. 

The  troops  were  re-embarked  in  haste,  and  returned  to  several 
of  the  English  garrisons  along  the  coast.  The  chagrin  of  Gov. 
Dudley  manifested  itself  in  undignified  violence  of  speech.  He 
denounced  March  as  unfit  for  command,  and  declared,  that,  it 
another  vessel  of  the  squadron  should  return  to  Boston,  he 
would  put  to  death  every  man  who  should  step  on  shore. 

1  "  He  (Gov.  Dudlev)  was  exceedingly  anxious  to  see  Port  Royal  reduced  as 
such  afev^t  ;vould  eon.plete  the  entire  conquest  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  convert  It 
into  an  English  province."  -  WiUianmn,  vol.  11.  p.  53. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


276 


Another  aiinament  was  speedily  organized.  Gov.  Dudley 
was  encouraged,  in  this  operation,  by  the  promise  that  England 
would  send  an  efficient  fleet  to  co-operate  with  him  in  the  com- 
plete conquest  both  of  Nova  Scotia  and  Canada.  Col.  March 
was  so  popular,  notwithstanding  the  tirades  which  had  been 
launched  against  liim,  that  the  governor  did  not  venture  to 
supersede  him.  He,  however,  appointed  three  members  of  his 
council  to  be  the  colonel's  associates  in  command. 

These  troops  relanded  before  the  fort  at  Port  Royal,  on  the 
10th  of  August,  1707.  In  the  mean  time,  the  French  had  been 
strengthening  their  works,  and  increasing  their  numbers.  Sick- 
ness had  invaded  the  little  army  of  Col.  March.  Even  inexpe- 
rienced soldiers  could  see  that  the  works  presented  an  impreg- 
nable front  against  any  force  they  could  bring  against  it.  All 
were  alike  disheartened.  In  ten  days,  having  accomplished 
nothing,  the  troops  returned  to  their  vessels,  and  sailed  back  to 
Casco,  Boston,  and  other  English  ports. 

The  French  took  advantage  of  this  signal  defeat  to  rouse  the 
Indians  to  new  endeavors  to  drive  the  invading  English  from  their 
hunting-grounds.  There  were  now  but  six  English  settlements 
surviving  in  Maine,  —  those  ol"  Kittery,  Berwick,  York,  Wells, 
Casco,  and  Winter  Harbor.  Towards  all  of  these  the  Indians 
marched  in  wolfisli  bands.  They  fell  upon  a  house  in  Kittery, 
and  massacred  all  the  inmates.  Four  men,  with  a  lady,  Mrs. 
Littlefield,  were  caught  on  the  road  between  York  and  Wells. 
They  were  probably  hastening  to  some  garrison-house.  Mrs. 
Littlefield  had  two  hundred  dollars  in  money  with  her.  A 
volley  from  savages  in  ambush  shot  them  all  down  but  one  man. 
He  escaped.  The  dead  were  scalped  and  plundered,  and  left 
in  their  blood. 

The  Indians  in  their  canoes  lurked  around  all  the  spots  to 
which  fishing-vessels  were  likely  to  resort.  These  vessels  had 
usually  two  or  thr-^e  men  and  a  boy  on  board.  Half  a  dozen 
canoes,  filled  with  armed  savages,  and  darting  out  like  arrows 
from  the  land,  easily  captured  them. 

On  the  21t;t  of  September,  1707,  a  hundred  and  fifty  Indians 
made  an  attack  upon  Winter  Harbor.  They  came  in  a  fleet  of 
fifty  canoes,  three  warriors  in  'jach  canoe.     Two  shallops  were 


t76 


THE  nr STORY  OF  MAINE. 


in  the  harbor,  manned  by  eight  very  determined  men.  They 
knew  that  the  vessels  would  be  first  attacked.  Unintimidated 
by  the  fearful  odds  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  eight,  they 
made  preparations  for  a  desperate  defence.  Conceahng  them- 
selves behind  bulwarks  of  plank,  they  made  every  gun  ready  for 
rapid  discharges.  The  fleet  came  swarming  on,  while  the 
savages  rent  the  air  with  their  hideous  yells. 

The  English  waited  till  the  canoes  were  so  near,  that  every 
bullet  was  sure  to  strike  its  target.  All  then  fired  at  once.  A 
few  canoes  were  disabled,  and  their  inmates  thrown  mto  tem- 
porary confusion  ;  but  the  rest  pressed  undaunted  on.  Ihey 
would  soon  surround  the  small  vessels,  and  in  resistless  num- 
bers be  leaping  over  their  sides.  The  English  abandoned  one, 
and,  entering  the  other,  cut  the  cables,  spread  a  sail,  and  en- 
deavored to  put  out  to  sea.  The  Indians  seized  the  forsaken 
shallop,  and,  raising  her  mainsail,  commenced  the  pursuit. 

A  slight  breeze  caused  both  vessels  to  move,  though  they 
crept  along  slowly.     The  English  had  taken  the   best  vessel; 
and  the  Indians  were  unskilled  mariners.     When  the  savages 
saw  that  they  were  falling  astern,  they  placed  a  dozen  canoes 
ahead  to  tow  their  vessel  along,  with  fishing-cords  for  tow-lmes. 
The  English,  also,  got  out  oars.     The  pursuers  and  the  pursued 
were  often  .o  near  each  other,  that  the  Indians  endeavored  to 
grapple  the  blades  of  the  oars  of  the  English.     A  perpetual 
firing  of  musketry  was  kept  up.     Both  parties  were  ingenious 
in  devices  to  avoid  exposure  to  the  bullet.     This  smguar  en- 
gagement was  continued  for  tliree  hours.   'The  Indians  lost,  in 
killed  and  wounded,  about  thirty.     Only  one  man,  Benjamin 
Daniel,  was  killed  on  board  the  vessel.     His  last  words  were, 
M  am  a  dead  man ;  but  give  me  a  gun  to  kill  one  more  before 
I  go."     The  loaded  gun  was  placed  in  his  hand,  but  he  had  no 

strength  to  fire  it.  »  ,     t  j«       v 

The  people  around,  warned  of  the  approach  of  the  Indians  by 
a  cannon  fired  at  the  fort,  hurried  to  the  garrison.  The  savages, 
disheartened  by  their  losses,  did  not  venture  an  attack. 

Soon  after  this,  two  men  at  Berwick,  returning  from  pubho 

1  wmumson's  ffistory  of  Maine.  voL  I.  p.  55;  Bourne's  History  of  WeUs  and 
Kennebunk,  p.  266. 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


277 


worship,  were  shot  down  by  the  Indians.  The  neighbors  pur- 
sued and  overtook  them,  and,  by  an  unexpected  fire,  threw 
them  into  such  consternation,  that  they  dropped  their  packs, 
and  fled.     Some  plunder  was  regained,  and  three  scalps. 

This  was  a  year  of  great  suflfering  throughout  Maine.  The 
inhabitants,  often  with  a  very  small  supply  of  food,  were  very 
inconveniently  crowded  into  narrow  garrison-houses.  No  man 
could  pass  a  few  rods  from  the  door  of  the  garrison,  without 
danger  of  being  shot  down.  Not  a  rod  of  land  could  be  safely 
tilled  beyond  reach  of  the  sentry-box.  As  to  lumbering  and 
fishing,  those  pursuits  had  to  be  entirely  abandoned.  Thus 
passed  the  fifth  summer  of  thia  desolating  war,  in  which  man's 
iihumanity  inflicted  untold  misery  upon  his  fellows. 

The  next  year,  1708,  was,  in  Maine,  a  season  of  general 
paralysis.  No  industrial  pursuits  could  be  undertaken.  The 
settlers  kept  carefully  huddled  together  in  the  garrisons.  Scouts 
and  spy-boats  were  continually  vigilant.  The  French  made  an 
effort  to  unite  all  the  northern  tribes  to  exterminate  the  English ; 
but  various  obstacles  thwarted  their  plans.  Gov.  Dudley  also 
endeavored  to  organize  another  expedition  against  Port  Royal ; 
but  it  proved  an  entire  failure.' 

In  February  of  1709,  Gov.  Dudley  sent  a  scout  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  men  to  visit  all  the  old  settlements  of  the  Indians, 
and  see  that  they  were  laid  utterly  desolate.  He  said  that  it 
was  his  Qbject  to  teach  the  Indians  that  the  French,  whom  they 
had  so  zealously  served,  were  unable  to  protect  them  from  the 
punishment  they  so  richly  merited,  from  the  avenging  hands  of 
the  English.  "  We  shall  never,"  the  governor  added,  "  be  long 
at  rest,  until  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia  constitute  a  part  of  the 
British  empire." 

In  the  summer  of  this  year,  the  Indians  of  the  Kennebec  sent 
a  flag  of  truce  to  Boston  to  sue  for  peace.  But  it  is  quite  evi- 
dent that  the  English  were  not  in  favor  of  peace  with  France, 
until,  at  least.  Nova  Scotia  should  be  wrested  from  the  French 
crown.  The  sufferings  of  a  few  hundred  poor  emigrants  in 
Maine  they  deemed  too  trivial  to  be  thought  of  in  these  great 
national  issues. 

1  Massachusetts  Records,  vol.  vil.  p.  426. 


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278 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


In  1710  a  new  effort  was  made  for  the  conquest  of  Port 
Royal,  in  which  the  British  Government  took  an  active  part.  A 
fleet  of  thirty-six  sail,  warships  and  transports,  conveyed  a  for- 
midable armament  and  twelve  hundred  men  to  the  Bay  of 
Annapolis.  The  troops  were  landed  safely  on  the  24th  of 
September,  excepting  one  transport,  containing  twenty-six  men, 
which  was  wrecked,  and  all  were  drowned. 

The  French  governor,  Subercase,  had  but  two  hundred  and 
sixty  men  in  garrison.  The  assailing  batteries  were  soon  raised, 
and  a  heavy  canuonuding  commenced.  The  next  day  Subercase 
found  himself  compelled  to  capitulate.  The  fortress  and  all  its 
stores  were  surrendered  to  the  crown  of  England.  All  the 
inhabitants  within  a  league  of  the  fort,  four  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  in  number,  were  to  be  protected,  upon  condition  of  tbeir 
taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  British  Government.  The 
soldiers  taken  in  the  garrison  were  to  be  sent  to  France,  or  to 
be  permitted  to  remove  to  Canada.^ 

In  honor  of  Queen  Anne,  the  name  of  the  place  was  changed 
from  Port  Royal  to  Annapolis  Royal.  Thus  Nova  Scotia 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  Col.  Samuel  Vetch  was 
appointed  governor  of  the  conquered  Province ;  and  a  garrison 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  men  was  left  under  his  command. 

Major  Levingston  and  young  Castine  were  sent  as  English 
commissioners  to  Gov.  Vaudreuil,  in  Canada,  to  inform  him  that 
Acadia,  as  they  termed  it,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
English ;  that,  consequently,  all  the  French  inhabitants  of  that 
region,  excepting  those  who  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance, 
were  prisoncrs~of-war ;  and  that  any  barbarities  practised  by 
savages  under  the  control  of  the  French  would  be  followed  by 
severe  reprisals  upon  the  French  inhabitants  of  Nova  Scotia. 

It  was  nearly  midwinter  when  the  commissioners  set  out  on 
their  arduous  journey  through  the  wilderness,  to  Quebec. 
They  crossed  the  Bay  of  Fundy  to  the  Penobscot,  and  remained 
several  days  at  Castine's  beautiful  residence  at  Biguyduce  (Cas- 
tine). Here  Mr.  Levingston  received  from  the  attractive  family 
of  his  host  the  most  hospitable  and  warm-hearted  attentions. 

»  Penlmllow's  Indian  Wars  ;  Hutchinson's  History,  voL  ii.  p.  167;  Hallibm> 
ton's  Nova  Suotia,  vol.  L  p.  88. 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


279 


On  the  Ist  of  November,  they  took  a  canoe,  and.  with  three 
Indian  guides,  paddled  up  the  Penobscot  River.  About  eight 
miles  above  the  present  city  of  Bangor,  they  came  to  an  island 
oaUed  ^ett.  Here,  probably  where  the  viUaire  of  Oldtown  now 
stands,  they  found  a  cluster  of  Indian  wigwams,  containing 
about  one  hundred  inhabitants,  with  fifty  canoes  upturned  upon 
the  greensward. 

_  The  Indians  were  not  disposed  to  let  them  go  any  farther. 
They  detained  them  for  several  days.  Mr.  Levingston  would 
undoubtedly  have  lost  his  life,  but  for  the  interposition  of  Mr. 
Castme,  whom  the  savages  regarded  as  an  adopted  Indian, 
the  child  of  the  daughter  of  one  of  their  most  illustrious  chiefs, 
and  their  friend. 

The  journey  was  resumed  on  the  4th  of  November  ;  the  com- 
missioners, with  several  Indian  guides,  still  ascending  the  river 
m  two  canoes.  On  the  second  day  Levingston's  canoe  was 
overset,  an  Indian  guide  was  drowned  ;  and  he  lost  his  gun  and 
all  his  personal  effects.  The  ice  was  making  fast.  The  other  ' 
canoe  soon  became  torn  and  leaky,  so  that  it  had  to  be  aban- 
doned. 

Fo- forty  days  these  hardy  men  travelled  through  the  wilder- 
ness  on  foot,  guided  by  the  compass  alone.  The  weather  was 
so  stormy,  or  they  were  enveloped  in  such  dense  fogs,  that,  for 
nineteen  days,  they  did  not  see  the  sun.  They  waded  through 
snow,  knee  deep,  crossed  as  they  could  unbridged  and  icy 
torrents,  forced  their  Avay  through  swamps  encumbered  with 
almost  impenetrable  entanglements  of  spruces,  cedars,  and 
underbrush.  A  week  before  the  reached  any  human  habita- 
tions, they  had  consumed  all  their  food.  They  then  lived  upon 
the  rinds  of  trees,  and  such  dried  and  withered  berries  as  tho 
wintry  gales  had  not  yet  torn  from  the  branches. 

They  reached  Quebec  on  the  16th  of  December,  where  they 
remained  about  two  months,  accomplishing  but  little.  Indeed, 
their  mission  seemed  to  be  one  rather  to  utter  threats  than  to* 
propose  terms  of  peace.  The  governor  of  Canada,  in  response 
to  the  menacing  letter  sent  him  by  the  English  authorities, 
replied,  — 


280 


THE  n  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


"  Never  have  the  French,  and  seldom  have  the  Indians,  treated  their 
English  captives  with  inhumanity.  The  French  are,  in  no  event,  accounta- 
ble for  the  behavior  of  the  Indians.  A  truce,  and  even  a  neutrality,  might 
long  ago  have  terminated  aU  these  miseries  of  war,  had  the  English  been 
willing  to  accept  such  neutraUtj'.  If  the  English  adopt  any  retaliatory 
measures,  they  will  be  amply  avenged  by  the  French." 

The  conquest  of  Nova  Scotia  settled  many  disputed  questions 
a^  to  boundaries.  Though  the  ravages  of  war  were  slackened, 
there  still  was  no  confirmed  peace.  More  than  a  year  before, 
the  sagamores  had  sent  a  flag  of  truce  to  Boston,  supplicating 
peace.  But  the  English,  intent  upon  seizing  Nova  Scotie,  and 
perhaps  still  hoping  to  gain  Canada,  were  certainly  not  eager 
to  accept  the  olive-branch  :  consequently,  a  desultory  warfare 
was  kept  up ;  marauding  bands  of  savages  inflicting  occasional 
deeds  of  awful  individual  suffering,  while  nothing  of  victorious 
result  was  accomplished.  In  August  a  man  and  woman  were 
shot  in  the  vicinity  of  York^  and  two  men  were  carried  away 
captive.  In  Saco  three  persons  were  killed,  and  six  captured. 
There  were  two  cases  of  barbarity,  which  should  be  recorded. 
One  was  on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  They  wantonly  skinned 
one  of  the  English,  whom  they  had  killed,  and  cut  up  his  skin 

into  belts. 

The  other  was  on  the  part  of  the  English.  Col.  Walton, 
with  one  hundred  and  seventy  men  on  a  reconnoitring  tour, 
had  reached  Sagadahoc.  By  a  decoy  he  seized  a  sagamore, 
with  his  wife,  and  several  other  Indians.  Because  the  sagamore 
was  not,  as  he  thought,  sufficiently  communicative  in  betraying 
his  friends.  Col.  Walton  allowed  the  savages,  who  were  of  his 
own  party,  to  amuse  themselves  in  cutting  him  to  pieces  with 
their  tomahawks. 

Soon  after  this,  Walton  captured,  at  one  time  three,  and 
again  five  prisoners.  It  is  not  known  whether  he  killed  them,  or 
carried  them  away  as  captives.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Indians, 
having  captured  a  man  by  the  name  of  Ayres,  treated  him 
kindly,  and  sent  him,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  Fort  Mary,  again 
soliciting  that  peace  which  had  so  long  been  denied  them.' 

While  Nova  Scotia  was  in  the  hands  of  the  French,  thej 

1  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  62. 


THE  BiarORY  OF  MAINE. 


281. 


claimed  possession  as  far  west  as  the  Kennebec,  and  actually 
held  the  country  as  iar  as  the  Penobscot.  This  dispute,  as  to 
boundaries,  being  now  settled,  the  English  were  intensely 
desirous  of  extending  their  conquest  over  the  whole  of  Canada. 
In  this  design,  the  men  in  power  were  not  to  be  thwarted  by 
the  moans  ascending  from  a  few  log-cabins  in  the  wilderness  of 
Maine :  consequently  the  appeals,  both  of  the  Canadian  French 
and  the  Indians,  for  peace,  were  alike  unheeded. 

Col.  Nicholson,  returning  to  Boston  triumphant  from  the  con- 
quest of  Nova  Scotia,  repaired  to  England  to  solicit  the  eflficient 
aid  of  the  government  for  the  new  enterprise.  He  took  with 
him  five  Mohawk  sagamores.  These  plumed  and  painted  war- 
riors, the  bloodhounds  of  the  human  race,  were  allies  of  the 
English.  They  were  ready  to  fight  on  any  ide  which  would 
pay  them  the  highest  wages. 

In  England  these  barbaric  chieftains,  in  their  gorgeous  ap- 
p-'cl,  attracted  great  attention.  Immense  crowds  followed 
them  whenever  they  appeared  in  the  streets  of  London.  The 
highest  of  the  nobility  called  upon  these  their  brother  aristo- 
crats. Queen  Anne's  husband.  Prince  George,  had  recently 
died ;  and  the  court  was  in  mourning.  At  the  royal  charge,  the 
Indian  chiefs  were  all  richly  clad  in  robes  of  black  .broadcloth, 
with  scarlet  cloaks  edged  with  gold  fringe. 

Thus  prepared  for  presentation  to  royalty,  they  were  con- 
ducted to  the  palace  of  St.  James,  in  two  regal  coaches,  with 
all  the  emblazonry  of  courtly  splendor.  The  lord-chamberlain 
introduced  them  to  her  Majesty  the  queen.  One  of  the  saga- 
mores, addressing  Anne,  and  speaking  in  behalf  of  his  com- 
panions, said,  — 

"  Should  you  capture  the  Canada  country,  and  put  the  French  under  your 
feet,  it  would  give  us  great  advantage  in  huntbg  and  in  war.  Let  your 
princely  face  shine  upon  us.  We  are  your  allies.  We  will  rover  turn  onr 
backs.    We  will  all  stand  firm.    Nothing  shall  movo  us." 


■PHMIi 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


BRITISH  AND  INDIAN  DIPLOMACY. 

Enthusiasm  of  the  British  Government— The  Fleet  for  the  Conquest  of  Oanap 
da— Utter  Failure  of  the  Enterprise— Daily  Perils— The  Bridal  Party  — 
Treaty  of  Utrecht — The  Ravages  of  War — Character  of  the  Younger  Caa- 
tine — State  of  the  Ministry — The  Pejepscot  Purchase — Ancient  Dominion* 
—  Rearing  the  Forts  —  The  Council  at  Arrowsic  —  Gloomy  Prospects  — 
Character  of  Father  Rasle. 

THE  English  Government,  cheered  by  the  conquest  of  Nova 
Scotia,  and  animated  b^  the  presence  of  the  Mohawk 
chiefs,  who,  it  was  said,  could  bring  a  large  number  of  warriors 
into  the  field,  engaged  with  enthusiasm  in  fitting  out  an  expedi- 
tion for  the  conquest  of  Canada.  A  fleet  was  speedily  equipped, 
consisting  of  fifteen  ships-of-war,  forty-three  transports,  and  six 
Btore-shipsi  Seven  veteran  regiments  of  the  Duke  of  Marl- 
borough's army  were  placed  on  board,  with  a  fine  train  of  heavy 
artillery.  Admiral  Walker,  an  ofl&cer  of  established  reputation, 
was  intrusted  with  the  command.  When  this  powerful  arma- 
ment arrived  in  Boston,  p'"'.  hundred  and  fifty  provincial  troops 
were  added  to  the  force 

On  the  30th  of  July,  1711,  the  fleet  sailed  from  Boston  for 
the  capture  of  Quebec.  But  God  seemed  to  frown  upon  the 
enterprise.  In  entering  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  eight 
iiansports  were  wrecked,  and  a  thousand  men  sank  beneath  the 
waves.  It  was  an  awful  spectacle  as  viewed  from  the  other 
vessels  of  the  fleet.  The  loss  was  so  terrible,  both  of  men  and 
the  munitions  of  war,  that  the  energies  of  officers  and  crew 
seemed  alike  paralyzed.  Overwhelmed  with  disappointment 
and  chagrin,  they,  with  one  accord,  abandoned  the  enterprise. 
Returning  to  Boston,  they  were  greeted  only  with  condemna- 
tion and  obloquy. 

282 


THE  HiarORT  OF  MAINE. 


288 


^Expeditions  were  stiU  sent  out  from  the  Massachusetts  colo- 
nies, to  cruise  along  the  shores  of  Maine  in  pursuit  of  Indians; 
but  the  savages  were  on  their  guard,  and  could  not  be  found. 
Prowling  bands  of  Indians  succeeded  in  shooUng  a  few  of  the 
English  who  had  here  and  there  ventured  into  the  fields.  Dur- 
ing the  next  summer  (that  of  1712),  twenty-six  of  the  English 
settlers  were  kUled  or  captured  in  the  vicinity  of  York,  Kittery, 
and  Wells.  The  settlers  were  completely  disheartened.  They 
could  not  move  without  danger  of  assassination.  A  child  could 
not  play  upon  a  doorsill  without  being  exposed  to  seizure  by 
Bome  burly  savage,  and  dragged  screaming,  before  the  eyes  of 
Its  agonized  parents,  into  the  forest.  The  Indians  became 
increasingly  bold  in  these  petty  acts  of  warfare. 

Still  England,  intent  upon  the  conquest  of  Canada,  did  not  wish 
for  peace.     And,  while  there  was  war  between  France  and  Eng- 
land, it  could  not  but  be  that  the  savages  would  be  enlisted  on 
the  one  side  or  the  other.   The  Indians,  though  invisible,  seemed 
to  be  everywhere.    Not  a  movement  escaped  their  notice.     A 
scouting-party  was  marching  from  the  garrison  at  York  towards 
Cape  Neddock.     It  was  on  the  14th  of  May,  1712.     Suddenly^ 
from  the  silent  wilderness,  a  band  of  thirty  savages  sprang  up» 
and  poured  in  upon  them  a  deadly  fire.     One,  the  leader.  Ser- 
geant Nalton,   was  instantly  killed:    seven   others,    probably 
struck  down  and  crippled  by  wounds,  were  captured.     The 
survivors  fled  precipitately,  and,  with  the  utmost  difficulty,  suc- 
ceeded in  regaining  the  fort.     Mr.  Pickernel,  at  Spruce  Creek, 
alarmed  by  the  rumor  of  the  vicinity  of  the  Indians,  was  leaving 
his*door,  with  his  family,  to  take  refuge  in  the  garrison,  when  a 
bullet  from  a  concealed  savage  struck  him  dead.     His  wife  was 
also  wounded,  and  his  little  child  scalped.     The  poor  child,  left 
for  dead,  recovered  from  the  dreadful  wound.     There  were 
several  similar  individual  acts  of  suflFering  and  death. 

A  very  exciting  event  took  place  at  Wells,  on  the  16th  of 
September.  There  was  a  large  bridal  party  held  at  the  garri- 
son. Elisha  Plaisted,  a  young  man  of  Portsmouth,  was  to  be 
married  to  Hannah  Wheelwright,  a  beautiful  girl  of  eighteen, 
a  daughter  of  one  of  the  first  families.  The  family  connection 
was  large,  and  the  acquaintance  extensive.    Prominent  guests 


1IMM 


284 


TBE  HiaTORY  OF  MAINE. 


were  invited  from  Portsmouth  and  other  adjacent  settlements. 
Some  came  by  water ;  others,  in  well-armed  bands,  on  horseback. 
Plaisted  was  accompanied  by  quite  an  escort  of  his  young 
friends  from  Portsmouth. 

A  band  of  nearly  two  hundred  Indians  came  uninvited  to  the 
-vredding.  Threading  their  way  in  the  di-rk,  with  the  stealthy 
tread  of  the  tiger,  through  the  obscurities  of  the  forest,  they 
placed  themselves  in  ambush  to  cut  off  all  the  divisions  of  the 
bridal  party,  by  whatever  paths  thoy  might  set  out  on  their 
return  to  their  homes.  It  was  evident  that  they  were  not  only 
perfectly  familiar  with  all  the  region,  but  that,  in  some  way, 
they  had  gained  an  acquaintance  with  the  number  of  the  guests, 
and  with  the  general  arrangements  for  the  occasion. 

The  nuptials  were  celebrated ;  and  in  feasting  and  frolic  the 
hour  of  midnight  had  passed,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  morn- 
ing had  dawned.  Some  of  the  friends  were  preparing  to  leave, 
when  it  was  found  that  two  ef  the  horses  were  missing.  Three 
young  men— Joshua  Downing,  Isaac  Cole,  and  Sergeant  Tucker 
—  went  out  to  find  them,  apparently  without  any  thought  of 
Indians.  They  had  not  proceeded  far,  when,  from  the  perfect 
silence  and  soUtude  of  the  forest,  a  volley  of  musketry  assaUed 
them.  Two  fell  dead.  Tucker,  severely  wounded,  was  cap- 
tured by  the  ambushed  savages. 

The  report  of  the  guns  instantly  conveyed  the  terrible  tidings 
to  the  garrison.  The  most  able  and  the  bravest  men  of  the 
region  were  there,  and  nearly  all  with  military  titles.  Totally 
unaware  of  the  number  of  their  foes,  with  singular  imprudence, 
but  with  chivalric  bravery,  they  rushed  out  to  grapple  with 
them.  They  sprang  upon  their  horses,  and,  in  small  bands,  rode 
in  different  directions  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the  Indians. 

But  the  wily  savages  had  placed  themselves  in  ambush  on 
each  of  these  paths,  and  were  quietly  awaiting  the  approach  of 
their  victims.  The  bridegroom,  a  very  heroic  young  man,  led 
one  of  these  parties  of  seven  or  eight  men  on  horseback.  Soon 
they  fell  into  an  ambush.  At  one  discharge,  every  horse  was 
shot  down ;  one  man  was  killed ;  and  young  Plaisted,  in  his 
bridal  attire,  was  seized  by  the  savages  leaping  from  their  con- 
cealment :.  the  others,  in  the  darkness,  escaped. 


TUI-:  n/STOJiv  of  maise. 


S8» 


The  savages  seemed  to  understand  perfectly  the  enterprise  in 
which  they  were  engaged.  Plaiated  was,  in  their  view,  the  son 
of  a  rich  father.  They  wished,  if  possible,  to  capture  him,  that 
they  might  extort  a  heavy  ransom.  It  was  this  desire  which 
probably  led  them  to  shoot  down  the  horses,  instead  of  the  men. 
In  their  great  eagerness  to  secure  him,  the  others  were  allowed 
to  escape. 

The  Indians,  having  accomplished  their  purpose,  rr.pidly  fled. 
A  party  of  seventy  soldiers  was  immediately  mustered  to  pursue 
them.  They  came  up  with  the  foe  in  a  forest,  where  every 
Indian  could  take  his  station  behind  a  tree.  The  English  sooq 
found  that  they  were  outnumbered  by  the  Indians  more  than 
two  to  one.  After  a  brief  skirmish,  in  which  one  only  was 
killed  on  each  side,  the  English  ceased  firing,  and  sent  forward 
Lieut.  Banks,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  to  ascertain  on  what  terms 
young  Plaisted  could  be  ransomed.  Six  Indian  chiefs  met  tho 
flag.  Among  them  was  the  noted  Bomaseen,  of  whom  we  have 
before  spoken.* 

The  chiefs  were  not  prepared  to  make  an  immediate  arrange^ 
ment.  They  wished  for  more  time  to  consider  the  matter. 
They  promised  to  bring  their  captives,  in  five  days,  to  Richman's 
Island,  where  they  would  be  ready  to  settle  the  question.  Not- 
withstanding the  large  force  at  the  Indians'  disposal,  they  at- 
tempted no  further  raids,  but  immediately  retired.  Plaisted 
was  fina.iy  redeemed ;  his  father  being  compelled  to  pay  a  ran- 
som estimated  in  value  at  three  hundred  pounds,  equivalent  to- 
about  fifteen  hundred  dollai-s.^ 

On  the  80th  of  March,  1713,  the  celebrated  Treaty  of  Utrecht 
was  signed.  There  was  now  peace  between  France  and  Eng- 
land. Nova  Scotia,  the  ancient  Acadia,  was  formally  surren- 
dered to  the  English.  Thus  this  dreadful  and  wicked  war  was 
ended.    The  Indians  had  long  desired  peace.    Great  was  their 

1  It  will  be  remembered  that  BomaseeQ  was  one  of  the  Norridgewock  sachems. 
Upon  visiting  Pemaqjiid  with  a  flag  of  truce,  he  had  been  treacherously  seiined  by 
the  English,  and  carried  a  captive  to  Boston.  The  savage  could  now  have  easily 
retaliate<l;  but  he  did  not. 

•  CoUections  of  Massachuselts  Historical  Society,  voL  ill.  p.  140;  see,  also,  the 
account  of  this  affair  as  given  by  WUlIamson,  voL  U.  p.  66,  and  also  by  Bourne,  In^ 
bis  History  of  Eennebunic  and  Wells,  p.  280. 


I 


mmm 


mm 


286 


THE  niaroRY  of  maine. 


joy.  Promptly  they  sent  envoys  to  Casco  to  establish  friendly 
relations.  The  English  were  haughty,  and  domineering  in  the.r 
exactions.  They  demanded  of  the  Indians  a  humiliating  con- 
fession of  their  offences,, compelled  them  to  take  the  oath  of 
allegiance  to  the  British  crpwn,  to  promise  to  ?ign  whatever 
articles  the  governor  and  council  might  dictate,  to  give  hostage? 
for  the  faithful  performance  of  these  stipulations,  and  to  main- 
tain these  hostages  at  their  own  expense. 

For  the  ratification  of  these  severe  terms,  a  council  was  held 
at  Portsmouth  on  the  11th  of  July.  Eight  sagamores  from  the 
Rivers  St.  John,  Penobscot,  and  Kennebec,  met  the  governor 
with  twenty  councillors  and  a  large  number  of  attendant  gen- 
tlemen. The  Indians  were  crushed  in  spirit,  and  pliant  to  the 
will  of  their  conquerors.* 

The  war  had  lasteil<ten  yetirs.  During  that  time,  more  than 
a' fourth  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  had  been  either  killed 
or  captured.  Hutchinson,  \h  his  History  of  Massachusetts, 
estimates,  that,  in  the  thirty-eight  years  between  1675  and  1713, 
six  thousand  of  the  youth  of  New  England  had  perished  fro.a 
the  casualties  of  war.^  Many  families  had  become  extinct. 
Nearly  all  mourned  some  members  lost.  In  Maine,  the  desola- 
tion was  awful.  The  log-cabins  were  crumbling  to  decay.  The 
fields,  long  uncultivated,  presented  a  revolting  aspect  of  briers 
and  thorns,  and  all  wild  shrubs. 

The  fur-trade  had  become  entirely  extinct.  Lumbering  and 
fishing  were  at  an  end.  Maine  was  in  a  state  of  irapoAerish- 
ment  scarcely  conceivable.  Fathers  and  squs,  mothers  and 
daughters,  who  had  been  captured,  were  far  away  in  the  wilds 
of  Canada ;  and  no  one  knew  whether  they  were  living  or  dead. 
There  were  no  facilitier.  for  travelling,  in  those  days,  or  for  com- 
municating intelligence.  Nearly  a  year  passed  before  a  ship 
was  sent  to  Quebec  to  bring  home  the  captives ;  and  then  they 
were  found  so  widely  dispersed,  that  it  required  four  months  to 
collect  them.    Many  were  lost,  and  never  were  heard  from. 

During  this  ten-years'  war,  it  is  estimated  that  one-third  of 

1  TLe  articles  of  this  t:-eaty  are  given  entire  in  the  Collections  of  the  17ew 
Hampshire  Historical  Society,  \ol.  i.  pp.  82-86. 
a  Hutchinson's  History,  vol  ii.  p.  183. 


II 


TUE  n  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


287 


the  Indian  warriors  of  Maine  perished,  and  probably  as  many 
more  of  their  women  and  childrei.,  from  the  bullet,  exposure, 
and  starvation.  Several  tribes  had  become  so  enfeebled  as  to 
have  lost  their  individual  character.  The  terms  of  the  treaty 
which  the  Bnglisli  exacted  were  so  abasing,  that  the  Indianb 
never  would  have  accepted  them,  had  they  not  been  compelled 
to  do  so  by  poverty,  sufiFering,  and  helplessness. 

Castine  the  Younger,  the  son  of  Baron  Gastine,  and  whose 
mother  was  the  honored  daughter  of  one  of  the  most  illustrious 
and  powerful  of  the  sagamores,  was,  by  universal  admission,  a 
very  extraordinary  man.  The  blood  of  two  lines  of  nobles 
flowed  through  hia  veins.  From  his  father,  he  inherited  the 
courteous  manners  of  the  French  noblesse ;  and  he  became  a 
man  of  intelligence  and  culture.  From  his  excellent  mother,  he 
inherited  sympathy  for  her  race,  and  was  ever  heroically  dis- 
posed to  cast  in  Jiis  lot  wi«h  that  much  injured  people.  'His 
intelligence  taught  him  that  tlie  Indians  were  gaining  nothing, 
and  losing  every  thing,  by  the  wars ;  and  he  was  the  most  zeal- 
ous  of  all  the  chieftains  in  urging  peace.  Mr.  Williamson  pays 
the  following  well-merited  and  beautiful  tribute  to  the  memory 
of  this  excellent  man :  — 

••  He  nppearad  to  be  entirely  free  from  the  bigoted  malevolence  of  the 
French,  and  the  barbarous,  revengeful  spirit  of  the  savages.  He  was  a  chief 
sagamore  of  the  Tarratine  cribe;  and  he  also  held  a  commission  from  tlie 
French  king.  By  liis  sweetness  of  temper,  magnanimity,  and  other  valua- 
ble properties,  he  was  held  in  high  estimation  by  both  people.  Nor  were 
the  English  insensible  of  his  uncommon  merit.  He  had  an  elegant  French 
uniform  which  he  sometimes  wore;  yet,  on  all  occasions,  he  preferred  to 
appear  in  the  habit  of  his  tribe.  It  was  in  him  both  policy  and  pleasure  to 
promote  peace  with  the  English.  And,  in  several  instances  where  they  had 
treated  him  with  abuse,  he  gave  proofs  of  forbearance  worthy  of  a  philoso- 
pher's or  Christian's  imitation."  * 

The  perfect  confidence  which  the  English  reposed  in  his 
honor  was  manifested  in  their  trusting  him,  as  a  friend  and 
companion,  to  conduct  Major  Levingston  through  the  wilder- 
ness from  Port  Royal  to  Quebec. 

1  Williamson,  vol.  U.  p.  70.    For  further  particulars  of  this  remarkable  man 
Bee  TJniveraal  History,  voL  xl.  p.  180. 


£S9 


988 


TUt:  ItiaTORY  OF  MAINS. 


A  now  era  of  pence  and  prosperity,  it  wae  hoped,  was  now^ 
about  to  dawa  upon  Maine.  A  stable  govei  nraent  began  slowly 
to  be  organized.  Institutions  for  education  and  religion  began 
to  arise.     Earnest  endeavor*  were  made  to  promote  purity  of 

morals. 

For  thirty-eight  yeai-s,  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  had  been 
engaged  in  an  almost  incessant  conflict  with  the  Indians.  But 
for  the  wickedness  of  man,  these  might  have  been  happy  yeaw, 
in  which  beautiful  villages  would  have  been  reared,  and  gardens 
would  have  bloomed,  and  parents  and  children  would  have  lived 
happily  together,  with  ever-increasing  prosperity.  But  they 
were  years  of  general  impoverishment  and  woe.  The  war  had 
Buapended  all  the  meetings  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Maine.  In 
answer  to  petitions  from  Maine,  the  "  eneral  Court  of  Massa- 
chusetts, on  the  6th  of  June,  1711,  ordered  the  Superior  Court 
to  hold  an  annual  session  at  Kittery. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1713,'  the  town  of  Berwick  was  incor- 
porated. This  was  the  ninth  town  in  the  State.  The  other 
towns  were  Kittery,  York,  Wells,  Cape  Porpoise,  Saco,  Scar- 
borough, Falmouth,  and  North  Yarmouth.  The  village  rapidly 
increased ;  for  the  soil  was  good,  and  the  original  settlers  highly 
respectable.  It  speaks  well  for  this  people,  that,  as  early  as 
1702,  a  church  was  organized  there.  John  Wade  was  its  first 
pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Jeremiah  Wise,  a  man 
eminent  for  his  scholarship  and  his  piety.  For  forty-eight  years 
the  community  was  blessed  with  his  ministrations. 

Kittery  was  divided  into  two  parishes.  Jhe  new  one  was 
called  Eliot.  Rev.  Johu  Rogers  was  settled  here  in  1715.  The 
stable  character  of  the  people  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact 
that  he  continued  to  fill  the  pulpit  for  fifty-eight  years.  In  the 
old  parish  at  Kittery,  the  people,  as  early  as  1669,  built  a  par- 
sonage, and  supported  a  faithful  pastor  for  fifteen  years.  In 
the  year  1714,  there  was  a  church  there  of  forty-three  members. 
Rev.  John  Newraarch,  a  scholarly  man,  and  a  graduate  fiom 
Harvard  University,  was  the  faithful  preacher  to  an  affectionate 
people  for  thirty-five  years.  In  York,  Rev.  Samuel  Moody 
ministered,  with  untiring  fidelity,  for  forty-seven  years.  He 
was  a  man  of  many  eccentricities,  but  highly  esteemed  for  hia 
accomplished  scholarship  and  his  many  virtues. 


mtm 


THd  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


SM 


The  eastern  prodncon  of  the  State  prenented,  at  the  close  of 
the  war,  truly  a  melancholy  aspect.  Moro  than  a  hundred  milei 
of  coast  along  which  had  been  scattered  the  corafortaole  dwell- 
tags  of  the  settlers  witn  their  cuKivated  fields,  were  laid  -itterly 
desolate.     Not  a  dwelling  remaiaed.     Title-deeds  and  records 

r^T  T''  \  ^■'■^^"'"'g  t^«  '•egion.  it  was  deemed  ^oxpedi- 
ent  that  the  people  should  gather  in  small  villages  of  twenty  or 
thirty  families,  with  home  lots  of  but  four  or  f.ve  acres.  For 
the  sake  of  the  fisheries,  these  little  settlements  were  cenerallv 
on  tile  aeacoast.  ^ 

^  Emigrants  began  slowly  to  return  to  the  demolished  towns  of 
oaco    Scarborough,  Falmouth,  and  North  Yarmouth.     In  the 
year  1714  there  were  about  twei  j  families  in  Falmouth ;  and 
ti-ese  families,  notwithstandiP-  their  great  impoverishment,  at 
once  commenced  building  a  meeting-house.     North  Yarmouth 
was  one  of  the  last  of  the  dilapidated  towns  which  was  re-settled. 
Upon  the  death  of  Richard  V/harton,  the  proprietor  of  the 
Pejepscot  purchase,  the  whole  immense  territory  included  in 
that  purchase  was  sold  to  a  company  for  one  hundred  pounds. 
The  boundary  hne,  it  will  be  remembered,  as  then  understood, 
ran  from  five  miles  above  the  Upper  Falls,*  in  a  north-east  direct 
tion,  to  the  Kennebec  River.     Four  miles  vest  of  the  falls  it 
took  a  strip  of  land,  four  miles  wide,  to  Maquoit  Bay ;  and 
thence  down  the  Kennebec,  and  through  Merrymeeting  Bay,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Sagadahoc.    Such,  in  general,  were  The  boun' 
daries  of  this  purchase. 

The  proprietors  laid  out  three  townships ;  those  of  Bruns- 
wick, Topsham,  and  Harpswell.  The  two  first  were  six  miles 
square;  one  on  the  north  or  east  side  of  the  river,  the  other 
on  the  so.  thern  side.  The  third  town,  Harpswell,  included  a 
penmsula  running  down  into  the  bay,  and  two  islands.  Fort 
George  was  built  near  the  faUs  at  Brunswick.  Settlers  came  very 
slowly  to  these  towns.  In  the  year  1718  there  was  not  a  single 
dwelling  in  Brunswick  excepting  the  fort  at  the  fdls,  and  a 


ii 


290 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


block-house  at  Mnquoit  Bay.  Three  families  had  settled  in 
Topsham.  It  was  not  until  about  1720  that  any  families  en- 
tered Harpswell ' 

Gradually  families  began  to  return  to  the  utter  desolation 
which  reigned  at  the  mouth  of  the  Sagadahoc.  A  Boston  gen- 
tleman erected  at  Arrowsic  Island  ^  a  large  brick  dwelling, 
which  remained  there  for  more  than  half  a  century.  In  the 
year  1715  there  were  twenty-six  residents  on  the  island.  In 
answer  to  a  petition  from  the  inhabitants,  it  was  incorporated, 
together  with  Parker's  Island,^  in  the  year  1716,  by  the  name 
of  Georgetown.  Fifteen  new  settlers  immediately  repaired  to 
the  place ;  and  the  governor  of  Massachusetts  sent  a  sergeant's 
guard  of  twenty  men  to  protect  the  inhabitants  for  six  months. 

This  was  then  the  most  remote  settlement  on  our  eastei-n 
frontier.  The  Sagadahoc  plantations  have  been  appropriately 
called  the  "  Ancient  Dominions  "  of  Maine.  In  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  State,  this  region  liad  more  celebrity  than  any  other, 
with  perhaps  the  exception  of  York  and  Falmouth.  Here  a 
colony  was  established  as  early  as  1607,  thirteen  years  before 
the  commencement  of  the  Plymouth  Colony.  In  1623,  but 
three  years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  there  were  eighty- 
four  families  residing  in  this  region ;  and  quite  a  fleet  of  fisher- 
men annually  visitec'  those  waters. 

There  were  two  patents,  which  embraced  all  the  land  in  this 
vicinity.  The  one  was  the  Pejepscot,  to  which  we  have  just 
referred.  The  other  was  called  the  Plymouth  or  Kennebec 
patent.  The  proprietors  of  each  of  these  territories  offered 
such  families  as  would  lemove  there,  one  hundred  acres  of  good 
land,  and  promised  to  pay  the  expenses  of  their  removal.  As 
an  additional  inducement  they  offered  to  contribute  liberally 

1  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  89.  See  also  Collections  of  Massachusetts  Historical 
Society,  p.  141. 

3  Arrowsic  Island  is  about  live  miles  long  with  a  mean  breadth  of  about  one 
mile.  It  contains,  according  to  Williamson,  four  thousand  acres  of  land.  Goolidge 
and  Mansfield  say  twenty  thousand  acres.  There  is  ir.iich  marsh  land  and  many 
ledge.s,  which  in  the  estimate  of  acres,  perhaps  the  one  writer  discards  and  the 
others  reckon.  —WUliarmon,  vcl.  i.  p.  53 ;  Goolidge  and  Man^eld,  p.  3i. 

8  "Parker's  Island  lies  north-easterly  of  Arrowsic,  and  is  separated  from  it  hy 
Hack  Iviver.  It  is  nine  miles  long,  and  on  an  average  a  mile  and  a  half  in  width, 
containing  about  ten  thousand  acres  "—  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  63. 


THE  n I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


291 


towards  the  support  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  Soon  a  strong 
stone  fort  was  built  at  Augusta,  then  called  Cushnoc  or  Cush- 
enoc.  It  was  the  strongest  fortress  in  the  eastern  country,  and 
was  for  some  time  maintained  at  the  public  expense.  In  refer- 
ence to  the  encouragement  given  to  emigrants,  Penhallow 
writes,  "Several  towns,  as  of  Brunswick,  Topsham,  Georgetown, 
and  Cushenoc  began  to  be  settled.  A  great  many  fine  build- 
ings, with  saw-mills,  were  erected.  Husbandry  began  to  thrive, 
and  great  stocks  of  cattle  were  raised."  ^ 

The  sturgeon-fishery  was  then  deemed  a  very  important 
branch  of  industry.  In  some  seasons  more  than  twenty  vessels 
were  engaged  in  this  employment.  All  sorts  of  timber  were 
also  sent  to  Boston,  and  even  to  foreign  ports.  During  the 
winter  of  1716,  the  fort  of  Pemaqnld  was  repaired,  and  a  garri- 
son was  established  there.  The  Indians  were  alarmed  in  view 
of  the  strong  forts  which  the  English  were  raising  at  important 
points.  Again  there  were  rumors  of  another  war  between 
France  and  England.  It  is  said  that  the  French  endeavored  to 
fan  the  flames  of  Indian  jealousy,  by  pointing  to  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  English,  as  evidence  that  the  English  claimed  all 
their  lands,  and  intended  to  take  possession  of  the  whole  coun- 
try. The  Catholic  missionaries,  by  identifying  themselves  with 
the  Indians,  and  becoming  incorporated  into  their  tribes,  had 
obtained  a  wonderful  ascendancy  over  them.  The  Indians  had 
ceased  to  regard  them  as  foreigners,  and  looked  upon  them  as 
the  wisest  and  best  of  their  own  people. 

The  English  authorities  had  tried  in  vain  to  drive  the 
French  missionaries  from  Norridgewock.  They  now  decided  to 
make  the  endeavor  to  supplant  their  influence  by  establishing 
English  missions  among  the  tribes.^  By  previous  appointment 
the  governor  and  his  council  met  a  large  number  of  the  Indian 
chiefs  at  Arrowsic.  It  was  in  August,  1717.  The  governor 
was  a  haughty  man,  and  was  not  inclined  to  be  conciliatory  in 
•speech  or  manner.  .  He  presented  the  sachems  with  the  Bible,« 

'  Penhallow'a  Indian  "Wars  was  printed  in  the  year  1726. 

«  The  General  Court  offered  to  pay  any  rainiater  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds 
annually  who  would  reside  at  Fort  George  (Peniaqidd;,  learn  the  dialect  of  the 
trilte,  and  become  their  instructor.  —  WUliamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  93. 

^ ,  ..!!.,  ._ .)!  ^.q„i,,„  „i  tnc  iuuiaa  iJiDie,  Dv  Mr.  EUot,  was 

completed.  —Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  u.  p.  57. 


292 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


in  the  Indian  language,  and  said  to  them,  "  This  book  contains 
the  true  religion.  Mr.  Baxter,  who  has  accompanied  us,  will 
remain  with  you,  and  teach  j^ou  its  principles." 

One  of  the  sagamores  promptly  replied,  "  All  people  have 
their  own  religious  teachers.  Your  Bible  we  do  not  care  to 
keep.  God  has  given  us  teachers.  Should  we  abandon  them, 
we  should  offend  God."* 

The  chiefs  then  turned  to  the  political  questions  which  were 
creating  trouble ;  and,  in  the  conference  which  ensued,  they 
showed  themselves  to  be  men  of  remarkable  strength  of  mind, 
and  good  common-sense.  Their  principal  speaker  said,  "  We 
admit  that  the  land  west  of  the  Kennebec  River,  the  English 
have  a  claim  to  regard  as  theirs  ;  but  certainly  no  sale  has  ever 
been  made  to  them,  of  the  country  east  of  that  river." 

The  governor,  with  dogmatism  and  discourtesy  which  those 
dignified  chieftains  keenly  felt,  instead  of  arguing  the  point 
at  all,  exclaimed,  "  You  may  bfe  assured  that  we  will  never  part 
with  one  inch  of  our  lands  in  that  quarter." 

There  was  for  a  moment  silence ;  and  then  these  chieftains 
simultaneously  rose,  and,  without  uttering  a  word,  left  the 
council,  repaired  to  their  canoes,  and  paddled  to  another  island. 


1  According  to  the  account  given  in  the  "Lettres  Edifiantes  et  Gurieuses 
tfcrites  des  Missions  Etrangferes,"  one  of  the  chiefs  gave  the  following  answer  to 
the  proposition  that  they  should  dismiss  their  missionary,  and  take  an  English- 
man in  his  stead :  — 

"  You  astonish  me  by  the  proposition  you  make.  When  you  first  came  here 
you  saw  me  a  long  time  before  I  saw  the  French;  but  neither  you  nor  your  min- 
isters spoke  to  me  of  prayer,  or  of  tlie  Great  Spirit,  They  saw  my  furs,  my  skins 
of  beaver  and  elk.  Of  these  only  they  thought.  These  they  sought  with  the 
greatest  eagerness.  Iwasnot  able  to  furnish  them  enough.  When  I  carried  them 
a  large  quantity,  I  was  their  gieat  friend,  but  no  farther. 

"  One  day,  my  canoe  having  missed  its  route,  I  lost  my  way.  After  wan- 
dering a  long  time  I  landed  near  Quebec.  Scarcely  had  I  aiTived  when  one  of 
the  Black  Rohea  came  to  see  me.  I  was  loaded  ^ith  furs;  but  the  French  Black 
Robe  scarcely  deigned  to  look  at  them.  He  spoke  to  me  at  once  of  the  Great 
,  Spirit,  of  heaven,  of  hell,  and  oi  prayer  which  is  the  only  way  to  reach  heaven. 

"  I  heard  him  with  pleasure,  and  remained  a  long  tim^  in  the  village  to  listen  ^ 
to  him.  I  demanded  baptism,  and  received  it.  At  last  I  returned  to  my  country, 
and  related  what  had  happened  to  me.  My  friends  envied  riy  happuiess,  and 
wished  to  participate.  They  depa^'ted  to  find  the  Black  Robe,  and  demand  of  him 
baptism.  It  is  thus  that  the  French  have  acted  towards  me.  Thus  I  tell  you  that 
I  hold  to  the  prayer  of  the  French.  I  ijhall  be  faithful  to  it  until  the  world  is 
burned  up." 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


293 


They  had  brought  with  them  to  the  oouncil  an  English  flag,  aa 
indicative  that  they  were  the  friends  and  allies  of  the  English. 
This  flag  they  left  behind  them,  the  silent  token  of  their  dis- 
pleasure. 

The  English  claimed  the  land  belonging  to  the  Indiana,  east- 
ward of  the  Kennebec  River,  on  the  ground  that  the  king  of 
France  had  ceded  those  lands  to  them  by  the  Treaty  of  Utrecht. 
The  sagamores,  as  usual,  appealed  to  their  revered  friend  and 
advocate,  Father  Rasle,  for  advice.'  He  immediately  wrote  to 
the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  that  the  king  of  France  had 
never  conceded  to  the  English,  lands  which  belonged  to  the 
Indians.  He  had  merely  withdrawn  the  French  flag  from  those 
lands  where  he  had  been  the  protector  of  the  Indians,  and  had 
surrendered  to  the  English  the  right  of  purchasinj.r  and  coloniz- 
ing their  lands.  And  the  king  of  France,  he  said,  would  feel 
bound  to  protect  those  Indians,  should  the  king  of  England 
assume  that  Frftnce  had  given  England  authority  to  seize  upon 
their  territory. 

Armed  with  this  Liter,  the  sagamores,  probably  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  next  day,  returned  to  Arrowsic.a  The  conference 
was  renewed.  The  governor  did  not  conceal  his  indignation  at 
what  he  pronounced  to  be  "  the  insolent  interference  of  the 
Jesuit."  Knowing  full  well  that  the  Indians  had  sufl'ered  so 
severely,  that  they  would  submit  to  almost  any  indignity,  rather 
than  consent  to  the  renewal  of  the  war,  he  assumed  a  menacing 
attitude,  and  threatened  again  to  draw  the  sword.  This  brought 
the  sagamores  almost  to  their  knees.  They  said,  through  their 
principal  speaker,  — 

"  It  ia  our  desire  to  live  in  peace.  We  wish  to  open  friendly  trade  at 
fair  pnces.  And  we  are  wiUing  to  relinquish,  for  the  present,  all  talk  about 
boundary  lines;  and  we  give  our  consent  that  the  English  should  settle  un- 
naolested  wherever  their  fathers  had  settlements.  But  we  are  very  much 
disturbed  in  seeing  so  many  forts  going  up." 

1  The  name  of  this  man,  according  to  our  English  authors,  was  EalM;  but  ac 
cordmg  to  his  own  historian,  Charlevoix,  it  was  Rasle. 

a  Mr  Williamson  says  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  But  it  was  impossi- 
We  for  the  chiefs,  in  that  lirae,  to  have  sent  to  Norridgewock,  and  have  obtained  a 
return.    It  L«,  however,  not  impossible  that  Father  Rasle  may  have  accompanied 

_     ^^  n.^njpu. .„«.„.  OS  a  uciguBonng  isianuj  but  wo  have  no 

intimation  to  that  effect 


I 


294 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  governor  had  conquered.  New  articles  of  agreement 
were  entered  into,  such  as  he  dictated.  The  humiliated  saga- 
mores returned  to  their  homes,  feeling  that  the  English  were 
their  enemies,  and  that  the  French  were  their  friends.^ 

Energetic  efforts  were  made  to  extend  the  settlements  east- 
ward of  the  Kennebec  River.  Several  families  reared  their  log 
cabins  on  the  Damariscotta.^  It  is  said  that  at  that  time  there 
was  not  a  house  between  Georgetown  and  Annapolis,  with  the 
exception  of  a  single  fisherman's  hut  on  Damariscotta  Island. 
A  strong  and  capacious  fort,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the 
Indians,  was  built  on  the  easterly  bank  of  St.  George's  River, 
near  where  Thomaston  now  stands.  At  a  short  distance  from 
that,  a  block-house  was  erected.  The  large  area  between  was' 
enclosed  by  palisades.  This  fortress,  which  could  bid  defiance 
to  all  Indian  assailments,  afforded  ample  accommodation  for  a 
garrison  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  men.  Another  strong  fortress 
was  built  on  the  east  side  otf  the  Kennebec  River,  opposite 
Swan  Island.     It  was  called  Fort  Richmond.^ 

The  spring  of  1721  opened  gloomily.  The  Indians  were 
much  dissatisfied  in  view  of  the  encroachments  of  the  English. 
The  strong  forts  they  were  building  indicated  that  the  English 
were  determined  to  hold  possession  of  the  country.  In  these 
views  the  Indians  unquestionably  had  the  sympathy  of  Father 
Rasle.* 

1  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  rol.  iL  p.  199  J  Collections  of  New 
Hampshire  Historical  Society,  vol.  ii.  p.  89. 

2  "  The  Damariscotta  Kiver  issues  from  the  Damariscotta  fresh  ponds,  which 
are  in  Jefferson  and  Nobleborough,  and  which  are  three  or'four  leagues  in  length 
from  north  to  south.  The  river  is  navigable  for  ships  of  any  burthen,  about  four 
leagues  from  the  sea  to  the  lower  falls,  and  is,  on  an  average,  half  a  mile  in 
width."  —  Williamson,  vol.  i.  p.  66. 

8  "  Tlie  site  of  Richmond  Fort  was  not  far  from  the  margin  ot  the  river,  on 
ground  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  above  the  water;  frjm  which  the  land  giadually 
ascends.  There  was  thereabouts,  in  1820,  a  hamlet  of  fifteen  or  twenty  houses, 
a  few  stores,  and  two  or  three  wharves."  —  Williamson,  vol.  ii.  p.  98. 

*  Father  Kasle,  in  one  of  his  oflftcial  communications  found  in  the  "  Lcttres 
Ediflantes  et  Curieuses,"  writes, — 

"At  the  time  that  the  war  was  about  to  be  rekindled  between  the  European 
powers,  the  English  ^<  .  ernor  (Dudley),  who  had  lately  arrived  at  Boston,  re- 
quested a  conference  with  oiir  Indians  by  the  seashore,  on  an  island  which  he 
designated.  They  consented,  and  begged  me  to  accompany  them  thither,  that 
they  might  consult  me  with  regard  to  any  artful  propositions  which  might  be 
made  to  them,  so  that  they  could  be  assured  their  answers  would  contain  nothing 


TBE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


295 


At  the  eastern  extremity  of  Nova  Scotia  there  is  a  narrow 
strait  called  Canseau,  which  separates  the  peninsula  of  Nova 
Scotia  from  the  island  of  Cape  Breton.  This  large  island, 
embracing  an  area  of  four  thousand  square  miles,  the  English 
asserted,  was  included  in  the  surrender  of  Nova  Scotia.  This 
claim  the  French  denied,  and  prepared  to  make  it  the  depot  for 
their  future  fisheries.  The  English  also,  in  maintenance  of 
their  claim,  established  a  post  on  the  southern  extremity  of  the 
island.  The  Indians  of  that  region  attacked  the  English  post, 
and  plundered  it  of  its  fish  and  merchandise.  The  Indians  of 
Maine  had  nothing  to  do  with  this  remote  transaction. 

But  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  assumed  that  Father 
•Rasle  had  instigated  the  movement,  and  that  he  was  endeavor- 
ing to  inspire  the  Indians  to  enter  upon  a  new  war  with  religious 
fanaticism.  A  vote  was  passed  that  a  detachment  of  a  hun°dred 
and  fifty  soldiers  should  be  sent  to  Norridgewock,  with  a  reward 
of  five  hundred  pounds  offered,  if  the  body  of  Rasle  were 
brought  to  Boston  dead  or  alive.  The  council,  however,  did 
not  agree,  as  it  was  thought  that  two  hundred  pounds  was  a 
suflficient  reward  to  offer. 

In  this  gloomy  state  of  affairs  there  was  a  general  apprehen- 
sion that  another  war  was  about  to  open  its  horrors.  Many  of 
the  settlers  in  Maine  began  to  abandon  their  homes.i  The 
governor  was  angry,  and  issued  a  decree  forbidding  it.  But 
the  fathers  of  young  families  had  more  fear  of  the  tomahawk 
of  the  Indians  than  of  the  displeasure  of  the  government  of  Mass- 
achusetts. The  chiefs  frequently  visited  the  forts,  and  always 
with  sincere  protestations  of  their  desire  for  peace.  At  the 
same  time  they  made  no  attempt  to  disguise  their  sense  of  the 
wrongs  which  were  inflicted  upon  them.  In  addition  to  the 
encroachments  constantly  made,  the  English  were  grossly  vio- 
lating the  terms  of  the  treaty  which  they  themselves  had 
dictated. 

The  Indians  had  pledged  themselves  not  to  purchase  any 

contrary  to  their  religion  or  the  interests  of  the  king's  service.  I  therefore  fol- 
lowed them,  wii  h  the  intention  of  merely  remaining  In  their  quarters  to  aid  theli 
councils  without  appearing  before  the  governor." 

»  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  11.  p.  236. 


296 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAISE. 


goods  excepting  at  established  trading-houses.  But  no  trading- 
houses  had  beon  established ;  consequently  they  could  have  no 
trade.  The  Indians  had  been  dependent  upon  the  French  for 
the  repairing  of  their  arms  and  tools.  The  English,  depriving 
them  of  this,  had  promised  to  send  smiths  and  armorers  among 
them  ;  but  none  had  been  sent.  Private  adventurers,  prowling 
around,  had  grossly  defrauded  them  ;  and  there  was  no  redress. 

There  were,  at  this  time,  two  French  Catholic  missions  in 
Maine,  the  one  at  Norridgewock  and  another  on  the  Penobscot. 
It  would  seem  that  these  missionaries  had  succeeded  in  winning, 
to  a  very  extraordinary  degree,  the  love  of  the  Indians.  They 
very  naturally  associated  the  Catholic  religion  with  French  pro- 
tection, and  the  Protestant  religion  with  British  encroachments. 
There  had  been  some  individual  acts  of  outrage  on  the  part  of 
vagabond  young  Indians,  which  the  sachems  deplored,  but 
which  they  could  not  prevent. 

There  was  a  large  meeting'  of  the  sachems  at  Norridgewock, 
in  the  year  1721,  to  choose  a  new  chief  in  the  place  of  one  who 
had  died.  These  veterans  in  the  miseries  of  war  were  so 
anxious!  prevent  a  renewal  of  hostilities,  that  they  sent  an 
envoy  to  Boston  with  a  present  of  two  hundred  beaver-skins  as 
a  pledge  of  their  desire  for  peace.  The  messenger  was  also 
instructed  to  offer  them  four  hostages  for  the  future  good 
behavior  of  their  young  men,  and  to  promise  that  ample 
reparation  should  be  made  for  all  the  damage  they  had  caused. 

When  the  governor  of  Canada  was  informed  of  this,  it  is  said 
that  he  felt  that  the  sachems  had  humiliated  themselves,  and 
that  he  wrote  as  follows  to  Father  Rasle :  — 


I 


»'  The  faint  hearts  of  your  Indians,  in  giving  hostages  for  damages  done 
those  who  would  drive  them  from  their  native  country,  have  convinced  me 
that  the  present  is  a  crisis  in  which  a  moment  is  not  to  be  lost.  Therefore 
I  have  applied  to  the  villages  of  St.  Francois  and  Beaucourt,  and  prevailed 
upon  them  to  support  with  vigor  their  brethren  at  Norridgewock,  and  to 
send  a  deputation  to  the  place  appointed,  for  negotiating  the  proposed  treaty, 
who  dare  let  the  English  know  they  will  have  to  deal  with  other  tribes  than 
the  one  at  Norridgewock  if  they  continue  their  encroachments  "  ^ 

I  I  give  this  important  letter  upon  the  atithorlty  of  Mr.  Williamson,  though  he 
does  not  state  the  source  from  which  lie  derives  it.  He  is  gei.<5rally  very  accu- 
rafo  fTiminrii  rtAi-hana  nnf.  rniulv  to  make  full  n(:knowledi7ment  of  that  British 
intolerance  which  goa^led  the  savages  into  war. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


297 


According  to  Mr.  Williamson,  the  governor  of  Canada  invited 
the  Indian  sagamores  and  sachems,  from  the  Kennebec  and  the 
Penobscot,  to  meet  on  Padeshal's  Island,  near  Arrowsic,  for  a 
general  council.      On  the  Ist  of  August,  1721,  ninety  birch 
canoes  bore  to  that  island  two  hundred  Indians.     Father  Rasle 
accompanied  the  Kennebec  Indians,  and  young  Castine  accom- 
panied those  from  the  Penobscot.     We  are  not  informed  as  to 
the  results  of  this  council.     According  to  Mr.  Williamson,  a 
letter  was  sent  to  Capt.  Penhallow,  who  commanded  the  gar- 
rison at  Arrowsic,  stating  that,  if  the  English  settlers  did  not 
remove  from  that  region  within  three  weeks,  the  Indians  would 
come  and  kill  them  all,  and  burn  their  houses,  and  kill  their 
cattle.    It  is  hardly  possible  that  such  a  menacing  letter  could 
have  been  sent  by  the  sachems  there  convened.    It  is  univer- 
sally admitted  that  the  sagamores  were  very  anxious  to  avoid 
the  renewal  of  hostilities.     The  Kennebec  Indians  convened  at 
Norridgewock,  where  the  influence  of  Father  Rasle  was  p  ira- 
mount,  had  just  sent  to  Boston  proposals  for  peace,  couched  in 
the  most  humble  and  imploring  terms.    It  is  universally  known 
that  young  Castine,  by  far  the  most  potent  chief  among  the 
Penobscots,  was  the  constant  advocate  of  peace ;    and,  more- 
over, the  three  weeks  passed  away,  and  there  was  no  hostile 
movement  whatever  among  the  Indians.     Not  an  Englishman 
was  killed,  not  a  house  was  burned,  not  an  act  of  plunder  took 
place. 

The  general  feeling  of  the  British  towards  Father  Rasle  was 
that  of  the  most  intense  hostility.  Mr.  Williamson  undoubtedly 
expresses  the  popular  feeling,  when  he  writes  of  this  Catholic 
missionary,  — 

"  So  often  had  his  malignity,  pride,  and  officious  interference  awakened 
among  the  Indians  new  complaints,  that  the  people  of  the  province,  for  good 
reasons,  ranked  him  among  the  most  infamous  villains,  and  would  have 
given  more  for  hia  head  than  for  a  hundred  scalps  of  the  natives." » 

1  In  reference  to  tl.ese  events,  Charlevoix,  the  French  historian,  writes  "  Aprfes 
plusieurs  tentatives  d'abord  pour  engager  ces  sanvages,  par  les  offres  et  lea 
promesaes  les  plus  s^duisantes,  &  le  livrer  aux  Anglais,  ou  du  moins  &  la  renvoyer 
Jk  Quebec,  et  k  prendre  en  sa  place  un  deleurs  ministres;  ensnite  pour  le  sur- 
prendre  etpour  Tenlever,  le.  Anglais  r^aolut  de  s'en  defaire,  quoiqu'il  leur  en  dut 

n    '  ,?'r"'^f  'f '"  '^  ^"'''  °*  P''°i°i'^ent  uiiile  U vres  sterling  a  celui  qui  I »  leu* 
porterait."  —  Charlevoix,  t.  ii.  p.  380.  «.  ^i  « 


298 


THE  HiaTORY  OF  MAINE. 


We  think  the  statement  of  Messrs.  Coolidge  and  Mansfield, 
in  their  admirable  *'  Description  of  New  England,"  far  more  in 
accordance  with  the  facts.     They  write,  — 

"  In  all  the  ulterior  designs  of  the  English  upon  the  Indians,  -whether  in 
wresting  their  territory  from  them,  or  in  cheating  them  in  trade,  they  were 
held  in  check  by  their  dread  of  this  tribe  (the  Norridgewocks).  Under 
these  circumstances  only  one  remedy  remained,  which  was  the  destruction 
of  the  villaj^e,  and  the  murder  of  Rasle  and  his  Indians." 

The  following  additional  passage,  from  their  candid  and  accu- 
rate history,  explains  truthfully  the  reason  why  the  French 
had  so  much  more  influence  over  the  Indians  than  the  English 
had:  — 

"  It  may  seem  strange  to  some,  that  the  Indians  were  always  found  on 
amicable  terms  with  the  French,  while  they  were  ever  making  inroads  upon 
the  settlements  of  the  English.  But  the  means  used  by  the  two  nations 
were  entirely  opposite.  While  tha  French,  with  their  social  fascination  and 
flexibility  of  character,  used  every  method  of  conciliation  towards  them, 
giving  them  warlike  implements,  accompanying  them  on  their  hunting  ex- 
cursions, and  becoming  intimately  identified  with  them  by  marriage,  the 
English  looked  upon  them  with  detestation  and  horror,  taking  every  oppor- 
tunity for  their  extermination,  and  using  every  means  to  annoy  and  exasper- 
ate them."* 

The  threatening  aspect  of  affairs  greatly  alarmed  the  Indians. 
They  had  no  opportunity  of  purchasing  those  arras  and  that 
ammunition  which  had  now  become  indispensable  to  them  in 
hunting,  unless,  in  violation  of  the  treaty,  they  repaired  to  their 
French  friends  in  Canada.  On  the  other  hand,  they  saw  strong 
garrisons  rising  on  territory  which  they  deemed  their  own,  and 
crowded  with  soldiers  who  could  set  all  their  efforts  to  reclaim 
the  lands  at  defiance. 

The  Indian  hostages,  who  had  voluntarily  surrendered  them- 
selves, were  rather  loosely  guarded  on  an  island  in  Boston  Har- 
bor. They  made  their  escape.  This  was  considered  by  the 
English  a  very  hostile  act.  Expresses  were  sent  immediately 
to  all  the  fortresses  on  the  eastern  frontiers  of  Maine,  ordering 
all  to  be  ready  for  war,  and  to  arrest  any  Indian  huntsmen  they 

»  History  and  Description  of  New  England,  by  Messrs.  Coolidge  and  Mansfield, 
vol.  i.  p.  233 


THE  BISTORT  OP  MAINE. 


290 


could  find,  and  hold  them  in  custody  until  the  hostages  were 
surrendered     A  special  meeting  of  the  General  Court  was  con- 
vened at  Boston,  on   the  23d  of  August,  1721;  and  it  was- 
decided  to  pursue  and  punish  the  Indians  for  the  crime  of 
Rebellion  against  the  English  government. 

Three  hundred  soldiers  were  enlisted  to  prosecute  the  war 
A  proclamation  was  issued,  demanding  of  the  Indians  that  they 
should  deliver  up  to  the  English  Father  Rasle  and  every  other 
French  missionary.  They  were  also  required  to  make  p-iple 
reparation  for  all  past  injuries.  If  these  terms  were  not  promptly 
comphed  with,  the  soldiers  were  commanded  to  seize  the  Indi- 
ans wherever  found,  and  send  them  captives  to  Boston. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  stern  measures  were 
adopted  without  opposition.  Many  good  men  remonstrated 
against  them.  They  declared  that  the  stipulations  made  in  the 
treaty  of  Arrovvsic  had  never  been  fulfilled,  that  the  India  la 
had  been  atrociously  wronged  without  having  any  opportunity 
to  obtain  redress,  and  that  they  had  been  guilty  of  nothing 
which  warranted  a  resort  to  such  measures  of  violence.  These 
loud  remonstrances,  together  with  the  recapture  of  the  hostages 
caused  a  slight  relaxation  of  the  war  movement,  but  no  relaxa. 
tion  in  the  uncompromising  spirit  of  those  in  power. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


I 


THE  VICISSITUDES  OF  WAB. 

Th«  Wr.T  Renewed  — Resolve  of  the  British— Westbrook'i  Attempt  on  an 
Indian  Village —An  Indian  Fort  —  Expedition  to  Oldtown  —Attempt  upon 
Norrldgewock  —  Beauty  of  the  Village  —  Savage  Depredations  —  Father 
Basle  and  his  Chapel  —  His  Letters  —  Murder  of  Bomaseen— Slaughter  at 
Korrldgewock— Death  of  Rasle— Tribute  to  His  Memory— Capt  Love- 
well's  Achievement- Drake's  Narrative. 

THE  English  had  seized  many  peaceable  Indians,  who  were 
guilty  of  no  crime  and  charged  with  no  act  of  hostility, 
and  were  holding  them  as  hostages  for  the  good  behavior  of 
the  tribes.  On  the  13th  of  June  two  parties  of  Indians,  the 
one  from  the  Androscoggin  and  the  other  from  the  Kennebec, 
met  at  Merrymeeting  Bay.  There  were  twenty  canoes  in  all, 
containing  sixty  men.  By  way  of  reprisal  they  seized  nine 
families.  All  were  treated  humanely.  They  soon  liberated 
the  women  and  children,  and  all  the  men  excepting  four.  These 
they  held  as  indemnities  for  the  safety  of  the  four  Indian  hos- 
tages in  the  hands  of  the  English. 

It  was  now  again  war,  mad,  deadly,  ruinous  war.  Each  party 
struck  blows  as  fast  and  heavy  as  possible.  The  Indians  en- 
deavored to  surprise  Fort  George,  near  Thomaston.  They 
burned  a  sloop,  and  killed  several  prisoners,  but  they  were  com- 
pelled to  retire  before  obtaining  a  surrender.  The  attack  vras 
soon  renewed,  tut  with  equal  want  of  success.  The  British 
lost  five  men,  and  the  Indians,  according  to  the  English  account, 
lost  twenty.  This  fortress  was  built  by  the  individual  proprie- 
tors or  what  was  called  the  Waldo  Patent.  The  government 
adopted  it  as  a  public  garrison,  sent  to  it  a  re-enforcement  of 
forty-five  men,  with  a  sufficient  supply  of  ammunition.     Col. 

300 


THE  maroRT  of  mains. 


801 


Thomas  Westbrook  was  placed  in  command.  Two  or  three 
Englishmen  were  captured  from  a  boat  which  landed  from  u 
vessel  in  Passamaquoddy  Bay.  One  Englishman  was  killed  at 
Casco,  and  several  Indians  were  pursued  and  shot  down. 

Capt.  John  Harman  ascended  the  Kennebec  in  pursuit  of 
Indians.  His  boats  convey  i  thirty-five  well-armed  men.  He 
saw  the  gleam  of  camp-fires  in  the  woods.  Silently  he  landed 
his  troops,  and,  in  the  darkness,  crept  through  the  forest.  They 
reached  the  encampment.  The  Indians  were  asleen  without 
any  guard.  Deliberate  aim  was  taken.  There  was  one  deadly 
volley.  There  remained  only  the  corpses  of  fifteen  Indians. 
We  know  not  that  one  escaped.  The  victors  gathered  up  the 
guns,  the  ammunition,  and  the  blankets  of  the  Indians,  and 
returned  triumphantly  to  their  boats. 

In  July,  1722,  the  governor  and  council  proclaimed  that  the 
Indiana  were  "  traitors  and  robbers,"  and  declared  war  against 
them  as  the  king's  enemies.^ 

The  Indians  were  feeble.  They  could  no  longer  inflict  any 
extensive  injury.  They  could  not  wander  far.  All  that  they 
could  accomplish  was  occasionally  to  shoot  an  En/jlishman,  cap- 
ture a  boat,  and  burn  a  cabin,  tomahawking  or  capturing  the 
inmates.  The  British  prepared  to  prosecute  the  war  with  great 
vigor,  being  apparently  resolved  to  exterminate  the  race. 
Several  armed  vessels  were  employed,  with  a  fleet  of  whale- 
boats,  sufficient  to  cruise  along  all  the  coasts,  and  penetrate  all 
the  rivers  where  Indian  villages  could  be  found.  An  army  of 
a  thousand  well-armed  men  was  employed  upon  the  various 
expeditions  now  undertaken.  A  hundred  soldiers  were  stationed 
at  York,  thirty  at  Falmouth,  twenty  at  North  Yarmouth,  ten  at 
Maquoit,  twonty-five  at  Arrowsic,  and  twenty-five  at  Fort 
Richmond. 

A  detachment  of  three  hundred  men  was  sent  to  the  Penob- 


*  "Both  In  and  out  of  the  legislature  there  were  men  who  doubted  whether  a 
war  npon  the  natives  would  be  justifiable.  •  We  have  been,'  they  said,  'derelict 
both  as  to  moral  and  stipulated  duties.  We  have  not  performed  our  engagemen  ts 
towards  the  Indians  In  the  establishment  of  trading-houses,  and  the  prevention 
of  frauds  and  extortions,  according  to  treaty  promises.  The  measures  of  strong 
drink  dealt  to  them  are  a  scandal  to  our  religion,  and  reproach  to  our  coimtry  ' " 
—  Wittiamxm,  vol.  U.  p.  117. 


802 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 


Boot,  with  orders  utterly  to  destroy  eveiy  thing  there  belonging 
to  the  Indians.  Four  hundred  sailors  and  soldiers  wore  de- 
spatched to  i\ivage  the  coast  between  the  Kennebeo  River  and 
the  Penobscot,  and  sweep  away  every  vestige  of  Indian  habita- 
tion. We  blush  to  add  that  a  bounty  was  offered  of  fifteen 
pounds  for  the  scalp  of  every  Indian  boy  of  twelve  years  of 
age.  Soon  after,  the  government  encouraged  the  adoption  of  a 
sort  of  laud-privateering  in  purauit  of  scalps.  To  ail  volunteers 
who,  without  pay  or  rations,  would  embaiU,  at  their  own  ex- 
pense, in  the  search  fo'*  scalps,  a  bounty  of  a  1  andred  pounds 
was  offered  for  each  one  taken.' 

A  sloop  of  war  wai  sent  to  Nova  Scotia  against  the  Canseau 
Indians ;  thus  the  Canadian,  the  Nova  Scotian,  and  the  Maine 
Indians  were  all  involved.  A  large  party  of  Indians  mad^  an 
attack  upon  the  flourishing  settlement  at  Arrowsic,  which,  it 
will  be  remembered,  was  then  called  Georgetown.  It  was  early 
in  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  1722.  The  inhabit- 
ants all  took  refuge  in  the  garrison,  after  having  killed  one  of 
the  Indians  and  wounded  three  others. 

The  Indians  attacked  the  fort ;  but,  finding  that  they  could 
make  no  impression  upon  it,  they  killed  fifty  head  of  cattle,  and 
laid  twenty-six  bouses  in  ashes.  One  Englishman  only  was 
shot,  through  a  porthole.  The  Indians  ascended  the  Kennebeo 
as  far  as  Fort  Richmond;  but,  finding  these  works  also  too 
strong  for  them  to  carry,  they  retired  up  the  river. 

On  the  11th  of  Februai'y,  1722,  Col.  Thomas  Westbrook 
embarked  from  tho  mouth  of  the  Kennebec  River,  with  a 
detachment  of  two  hundred  and  thirty  men,  to  ravage  the  coast 
as  far  as  the  Penobscot.  He  had  several  small  vessels  well 
armed,  and  a  goou  .^uppi/  of  whale-boats.  They  apparently 
found  nothing  to  >  'j'mv  lem  until  they  reached  Mt.  Desert, 
where  they  made  a  short  stop.  They  then  ascended  the  river, 
and  cast  anchor,  as  is,  supposed  in  Marsh  Bay.' 

There  they  left  their  vessel  and  boats,  and  commenced  a  march 

«  Williamson,  vol.  il.  p.  118. 

3  Marsh  Bay  is  an  expansion  of  the  Penobscot  River  a  few  miles  above  Bucks- 
I)ort.  Here  the  majestic  stream  is  more  than  a  mile  wide.  The  pleasant  village 
of  Frankfort  is  situated  on  the  western  banks  of  this  bay,  at  the  head  of  winter 
navigation.    See  Williamson,  vol  L  p.  69;  Ooolidge  and  Mansfield,  p.  127. 


THE  ri /STORY  OF  MAINE. 


803 


through  the  forest,  still  ascending  the  river  in  search  of  an 
important  village  and  fort  of  the  Indians  which  were  kn'  wn  to 
have  been  in  that  region.  At  length  they  reached  a  spot  which 
is  supposed  to  have  been  the  lower  Stillwater  in  Orono,  about 
six  miles  above  Kenduskeag  River.'  Here  Col.  Westbrook  left 
«  guard  of  a  hundred  men  to  protect  the  provisions  and  tents, 
■while  he  selected  fifty  veteiuns  in  Indian  warfare  to  go  in  search 
of  the  fort.  It  was  soon  found,  without  the  scouts  being  dis- 
covered  by  the  Indians. 

Forty  men  were  left  on  guard  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
The  whole  of  the  remaining  force  was  then  ferried  across  in 
canoes  hastily  prepared.  Rapidly  traversing  the  trails  on  the 
eastern  bank,  they  reached  a  point  opposite  the  fort  and  village, 
about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  same  day.  Tt;  was  about 
the  10th  or  11th  of  March.  It  was  dark.  The  fort  was  on  an 
island.  The  winter  had  been  remarkably  open,  and  the  stream 
was  not  frozen  over ;  still  immense  blocks  of  ice  were  swept 
along  by  the  black  current. 

But  not  a  camp-fire  was  burning;  rot  a  torch  glimmered 
through  the  darkness ;  not  a  sound  was  heard  to  disturb  the 
wintry  silence  of  the  drear  scene.  The  morning  light  revealed 
only  desolate  and  abandoned  habitations.  The  wary  Indians, 
apprehending  such  a  visit,  had  in  the  previous  autumn  retired, 
taking  with  them  every  thing  of  the  least  value.  The  English, 
after  their  long  voyage  and  painful  march,  found  nothing,  not 
even  a  poor  scalp  to  reward  them. 

The  Indians  had  probably  received  instruction  from  French 
engineers  in  building  the  fort.  It  was  quite  scientifically 
arranged,  being  seventy  yards  in  length  a..d  fifty  in  breadth. 
The  stockades  were  of  heavy  timber  firmly  planted,  and  fourteen 
feet  in  height.  Within  the  stockades  there  were  twenty-three 
comfortable,  well-built  houses,  regularly  arranged.  On  the 
south  side  of  this  little  fortified  village,  there  was  the  largest 
and  finest  structure  in  the  place.     It  was  the  chapel  which  the 

»  "  Bangor  is  on  one  of  the  noblest  rivers  in  the  Northern  States,  the  protlnct  of 
an  almost  countless  number  of  tributary  streams.  The  city  is  seated  upon  both 
sides  of  the  Kenduskeag  Eiver,  and  is  the  mart  of  one  of  the  most  extensive  and 
one  of  the  richest  alluvial  bashis  east  of  the  Ohio  Valley."  -  Coolidge  and  Man^/ield, 


804 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


missionaries  had  reared,  and  it  was  handsomely  finished  both 
within  and  without.  This  edifice,  consecrated  to  Christ^  in 
worship,  was  sixty  feet  in  length  and  thirty  in  breadth.  «  ast 
south  of  the  chapel  was  the  parsonage,  a  large  and  commodious 
dwelling-house. 

The  English  applied  the  torch  to  foit,  dwellings,  cLapel,  and 
parsonage.  Having  seen  all  reduced  to  ashes,  they  returned  to 
their  tents,  marched  down  to  their  transports,  and  on  the  20th 
of  the  month  cast  anchor  at  Fort  George.* 

Another  winter  campaign  was  attempted,  which  proved  even 
more  futile.  An  expedition  was  sent  to  destroy  the  village  at 
Norridgewock,  and  to  kill  Father  Rasle.  On  the  6th  of  Feb- 
ruary the  troops  reached  the  falls  at  Brunswick.  The  storms 
of  winter  were  beating  upon  them,  and  its  drifting  snows 
encumbered  their  path.  It  surely  was  not  wisdom  which  dic- 
tated such  an  enterprise  at  that  season  of  the  year.  Painfully 
they  toiled  up  the  banks  of  the  Androscoggin  until  they  reached 
a  remarkable  bend  of  the  river,  in  the  region  of  the  present 
town  of  Jay.  By  crossing  the  country  from  this  place  in  a 
northerly  direction,  a  few  miles  would  take  them  to  the  Sandy 
River,  where  the  beautiful  town  of  Farmington  now  adorns  the 
landscape.  By  following  down  the  valley  of  the  Sandy  River, 
they  could  reach  Norridgewock  by  a  totally  unexpected  route. 
Thus  they  hoped  to  strike  the  Indians  entirely  by  surprise. 

But  just  then  occurred  that  remarkable  phenomenon  known 
in  Maine  as  the  January  thaw.  A  warm  rain,  followed  by  the 
rays  of  almost  a  summer's  sun,  melted  the  deep  snows.  Every 
little  rill  was  swollen  to  a  torrent.  All  the  fields  were  covered 
more  than  knee  deep  with  that  melting  snow  appropriately 
called  slosh.  The  icy  moisture  penetrated  leather  as  though  it 
were  brown  paper.  The  discomfort  was  so  extreme  that  further 
journeying  became  impracticable.  The  soldiers,  dividing  into 
small  parties,  returned,  not  having  caught  sight  of  a  single 
Indian. 

i  Mr.  ■Williamson,  in  reply  to  tlie  question,  "Where  was  tlie  site  of  this  im- 
portant fortress  and  village  Vaftxir  discussing  various  suppositions,  says,  "The 
alternative,  then,  is,  that  the  site  must  have  heen  Oldtown,  or  the  ancient  Lett 
meutioned  by  Levingaton."  —  Williamson,  vol.  it  p.  121,  note. 


THE  UI8T0RY  OF  MAINE.  305 

ants  of  lit  „e      o'„5™!     r,"?  '7'^^"'"'  'hirtyof  the  inhabit- 

M.  su.iiva?sU?ra::t^Ltl- tf«r  ^^^^^^  ^""r 

and  oaid  faitpti:';     "°  ""'  P""""""  ''^'■"-'  ^^  --» 

ind^^frsrto'tXtinr  "^'^  ^'^^-r^  ^*°-  '» 

Maine.    This  ferocn,"  t'h  1    "'  "2'"""*  *«  ^"'^'a""  »' 

xxcn  uwu  btyie,  with  sonjjs  and  danr>p<j      Vof  f^ 

unexplained  reason  they  persistently  refusedto  tale  if  ' ''"^' 
against  their  brethrpn  in  lUo-*  •y/*'^"^^^  to  take  up  arms 
molested      Thf.  C  ^^'""^^  ""^^««  ^^^^y  themselves  were 

men  who*  wSel'  to'dr*'  ""1"'^'  ''^^  '^^  ''  ^^-  ^ou^ 
English  ^°  '"'  "^^^^^  ^"^^^^  i^  the  service  of  th! 

Only  two  of  the  Mohawks  enlisfprl     tk^  ^     , 

Soon  r^ettinff  sick  of  th«  W.  I         ^^  "^^""^  ^^"^^^^^  «^en. 

been   watohino.  7h«  °  ,       '""^  °^  ^'"^''"'»  "ho  l,ad 

^^  n   watehing    them    sprang   from    ambush,    and   captured 


,»_>_  T  1      ,  o  ""  ^^''"^"  tu  Civilized  Jitft. 

;au«  .«xana  a  man  was  shot,  and  another  near  by." 


On 


8oa 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Kennelmnk  River  two  families  were   attacked.     Some  were 
killed,  and  others  carried  into  captivity.' 

On  the  25th  of  December,  a  very  determined  band  of  about 
sixty  warriors  made  a  desperate  attack  upon  the  fort  at  St. 
George's  River .2  For  thirty  days  they  continued  the  siege,  with 
a  degree  of  persistence  which  they  had  never  before  manifested. 
The  defence  was  heroic.  At  length  re-enforcements  arrived, 
and  the  Indians  retired,  taking  with  them  one  captive.^ 

For  the  protection  of  the  frontiers  during  the  winter  months, 
three  ranging  parties  were  organized  of  fifty  men  each,  who 
were  to  be  continually  on  the  move  in  search  of  Indian  bands. 
There  were,  at  that  time,  fifteen  forts  or  garrison-houses,  all  of 
which  were  strengthened,  re-enforced,  and  fully  supplied.*  But 
the  Indians,  as  the  snows  fell  heavily  in  the  forests,  and  the  icy 
winds  swept  the  plains,  undertook  no  campaign,  but  gathered 
around  the  fires  in  their  far-di^tant  wigwams. 

The  desire  to  capture  Father  Rasle  continued  unabated.  A 
thousand  livres  were  offered  for  his  head."*  In  mid-winter  Capt. 
Moulton  was  sent  with  an  armed  force  up  the  Kennebec  River 
to  Norridgewock,  to  kill  or  to  capture  him.  But  the  vigilant 
eye  of  the  Indians  had  detected  the  movement.  They  all  fled, 
taking  their  missionary  with  them.  Capt.  Moulton  was  a 
humane  man.  The  little  Indian  village  at  Norridgewock  seemed 
to  be  emerging  from  barbarism  to  civilization.  He  therefore, 
hoping  thaUiis  example  of  forbearance  might  exert  a  salutary 
influence  upon  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  ordered  his  soldiers  to 
inflict  no  wanton  injury.  The  men  returned  from  their  fruitless 
expedition,  leaving  all  things  as  they  had  found  them. 

»  Sullivan's  History  of  Maine,  p.  230.  ,  .        ^    «  •,  „ 

2  St  Geor-e'8  River  rises  in  MontviUe.  After  running  soutli  twenty-five  miles, 
affordin- a  variety  of  mill  privileges,  it  meets  the  tide  in  Warren,  twenty  miles 
fronat/mouth.  The  old  fort  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  about  sixteen 
miles  above  its  mouth.  The  residence  of  Gen.  Knox  was  subsequently  built  near 
its  ruins.  —  Williamson,  vol.  1.  p-  60. 

8  Hutchinson's  History,  vol.  ii.  p.  270. 

4  These  were  at  St.  George,  Arrowsic,  Eichmond,  North  Yannouth,  Saco 
Anindel,  Kennebunk,  Wells,  York,  Kittery,  and  Berwick.  -Records,  Resolves,  and 
Journals  of  Massachusetts  Government;  yol.Tl.V-'^^^' 

6  Collections  of  Massachusetts  aistorical  Society,  vol.  viii.  p.  2(56.  A  hvre  was 
a  French  coin  valued  at  about  eighteen  and  three-quarters  cents.  It  is  now  super- 
seded by  the  franc. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


SOT 


The  Kennebec  was  famous  for  its  rich  fishery.  Sturgeon  and 
salmon  were  in  abundance.  Water-fowl  crowded  its  shores. 
Its  fertile  meadows,  free  from  forest,  afforded  the  Indians  invit- 
ing fields  for  their  corn.  To  prevent  them  from  fishing,  fowl- 
ing, or  planting,  and  thus  to  distress  them  with  famine,  thirty- 
men  were  sent  early  in  the  spring  to  range  the  river  in  boats. 

Early  in  March  of  1724,  the  Indians  recommenced  their 
depredations.  More  than  thirty  people  in  Maine  were  either 
killed,  wounded,  or  carried  into  captivity,  in  the  course  of  three 
months.  Like  wolves  they  came  rushing  from  the  forest,  and 
no  one  could  anticipate  their  point  of  attack.  One  man  was 
shot  upon  his  door-sill.  Mr.  Mitchell,  with  his  two  little  boys, 
was  at  work  in  his  field,  when  unseen  savages,  skulking  behind 
stumps  and  trees,  shot  him  down,  and  carried  away  his  boys  as 
captives.  At  Kennebunk  the  savages  captured  a  sloop,  after 
killing  all  of  the  crew.  Near  by,  three  men,  at  work  in  a  saw- 
mill, were  killed.  At  Berwick  Mr.  Thompson  was  shot,  one  of 
his  children  tomahawked,  and  the  other  left  for  dead,  bleeding, 
gasping,  and  scalped.  Such  was  the  character  of  this  wretched 
warfare. 

There  was  another  tragic  adventure  which  merits  more  special 
notice.  A  boat's  company  of  sixteen  well-armed  men  left  the 
fort  on  St.  George's  River  on  a  fishing  excursion.  It  was  the 
30th  of  April,  1724.  They  embarked  in  two  strong  whale- 
boats,  led  by  Capt.  Josiah  Winslow,  who  was  commandant  of 
the  garrison.  The  boats  passed  down  the  river,  and  sailed  along 
the  coast  to  the  east,  until  they  reached  the  Green  Islands  in 
Penobscot  Bay.  It  seems  that  the  Indians  caught  sight  of 
thera,  and  nearly  a  hundred  warriors  gathered  in  ambush  on 
the  banks  of  the  St.  George,  to  cut  them  off  on  their  return. 
They  hid  in  the  thick  underbrush  at  a  narrow  point  of  the 
stream,  on  both  banks.  They  had  thirty  canoes  carefully  con- 
cealed. The  Indians  waited  until  one  boat  had  passed  by,  and 
then  poured  a  deadly  volley  of  bullets  into  the  other.  Nearly 
every  man  was  killed  or  wounded.  The  savages  then  leaped 
into  their  canoes,  and,  outnumbering  their  foes  more  than  ten 
to  one,  ventured  upon  an  open  attack,  completely  surrounding 
the  boats. 


808 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■ 


The  English,  seei'.ig  their  destruction  to  be  inevitable,  re- 
solved to  sell  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  They  fought 
desperately  until  all  were  shot  down.  How  many  warriors  the 
savages  lost  in  the  bloody  fray,  was  never  known.  It  appears 
that  there  were  three  friendly  Indians  in  the  boats,  and  these  the 
savages  allowed  to  escape.  The  death  of  Capt.  Winslow  was 
deeply  felt.  He  was  a  young  man  of  great  worth,  a  recent 
graduate  from  Harvard  College,  and  a  member  of  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  families  of  Massachusetts. 

The  savages  succeeded,  during  the  summer,  in  capturing 
twenty-two  fishing  vessels.  They  made  a  fleet  of  fifty  canoes. 
These  light  birch-bark  structures  they  could  carry  through  the 
forest  paths  almost  as  easily  as  they  could  carry  a  musket. 
Each  canoe  was  generally  sufficient  for  three  warriors.  Launch- 
ing them  at  any  designated  point,  they  would  push  out  with 
great  rapidity,  and  entirely  surround  a  small  vessel,  whose  crew 
ordinarily  consisted  of  but  from  five  to  eight  men.  The  capture 
was  then  easy.  Any  one  who  exposed  himself  upon  the  deck 
was  sure  to  be  shot  down. 

In  these  encounters  twenty-two  men  were  killed,  and  twenty- 
three  carried  into  captivity.*  The  triumphant  Indians,  having 
destroyed  sixteen  of  the  garrison  of  the  fort  in  the  whale-boats, 
now  paddled  up  the  river,  hoping  to  capture  the  fort  itself,  and 
seize  all  its  valuable  contents.' 

This  fortification  bade  defiance  to  all  their  efforts.  It  was 
built  of  hewn  timber,  twenty  inches  square.  It  was  quadran- 
gular in  form,  each  side  being  a  hundred  feet  in  length  and 
sixteen  feet  high.  Within  the  enclosure  there  was  a  good  sup- 
ply of  comfortable  barracks  and  a  good  well  of  water.  From 
the  southern  wall  there  was  a  covered  way,  constructed  of  logs, 
leading  to  a  large,  strong  block-house  upon  the  bank  of  the 

»  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massacliusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  278;  Penliallow's  Indiaa 
Wars. 

2  "The  Eiiglish  asserted  that  the  Indians  had  sold  the  land  to  Gov.  Phips,  the 
deed  having  been  signed  by  one  of  their  vjhiefs,  Madockawando.  In  reply  to  this, 
the  Indians  maintained  that  the  Madoc'<cawando  and  Sheepscot  John,  who  signed 
the  deed,  were  not  Penobscot  Indians,  one  belonging  to  Machias  and  the  other  in 
the  vicinity  of  Boston ;  consequently  these  chiefs  had  disposed  of  what  did  not 
rightfully  belong  to  them,  and  the  deed  was  therefore  null  and  void."  —  History 
of  New  England,  by  Coolidge  arid  Man^ield,  vol.  i.  p.  324. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


OAf 


river,  where  several  pieces  of  cannon  commanded  the  stream. 
The  Indians,  finding  that  they  could  make  but  little  impression 
upon  these  strong  works,  retired,  and  soon  made  their  appear- 
ance again  at  Arrowsic.  They  succeeded  in  capturing  three  of 
the  inhabitants,  and  in  killing  many  cattle. 

About  the  luiddle  of  July  a  band  of  twenty-seven  made  an 
attack  upon  a  house  near  the  garrison  at  Spurwink.  They  shot 
Mr.  Solomon  Jordan  as  he  was  incautiously  leaving  the  gate  of 
the  garrison.  They  were  driven  off,  and  a  heroic  band  from 
the  fort  pursued  them.  The  Indians,  taken  by  surprise  in 
their  encampment,  fled,  leaving  behind  them  twenty-five  packs, 
twelve  blankets,  a  gun,  and  several  other  articles.  The  Indians 
generally  carried  away  their  dead.  One  only  was  found  killed. 
Him  the  English  scalped,  and  for  the  revolting  trophy  received 
a  bounty  of  a  hundred  pounds  in  Boston.' 

There  was  no  village  of  the  Indians  which  presented  more 
attractions  than  Old  Point,  where  the  pleasant  little  hamlet  of 
Norridgewock  stood.  The  Kennebec  here  makes  a  lar  e  bend, 
forming  a  beautiful  and  rich  intervale  of  about  a  hundred  acres. 
The  village  was  regularly  built  on  the  land  as  it  gently  rose 
above  the  intervale.  The  huts  were  erected  on  one  street  or 
path,  about  eight  feet  wide.  The  church,  surmounted  by  the 
cross,  was  by  far  the  most  imposing  building  in  the  place.  It 
stood  a  little  back  from  the  street,  at  the  lower  end  of  the 
village,  and  was  neatly  constructed  of  hewn  timber.  A  spring 
of  delicious  water  gushed  from  the  bank,  afEordijig  to  all  an 
ample  supply.' 


1  History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  349. 

2  Francis,  in  his  Life  of  Father  Rasle,  writes,  "  Whoever  has  visited  the  pleas- 
ant town  of  Norridgewock  as  it  now  is  must  have  heard  of  Indian  Old  Point  aa 
the  people  call  the  place  where  Rasle's  village  stood;  and  perhaps  curiosity  may 
have  carried  him  thither.  If  so,  lie  has  found  a  lovely  seqtiestered  spot,  in  the 
depths  of  nature's  stillness,  on  a  point  around  which  the  waters  of  the  Kennebec, 
not  far  from  their  confluence  with  those  of  the  Sandy  River,  sweep  on  in  their 
beautiful  course,  as  if  to  the  music  of  the  rapids  above;  a  spot  over  which  the  sad 
memory  of  the  past,  without  its  passions,  will  throw  a  chai-m,  and  on  which  he 
will  believe  the  ceaseless  worship  of  nature  might  blend  itself  with  the  aspirations 
of  Christian  devotion. 

''And  he  will  turn  from  the  place  with  the  feeling  that  the  hatefulness  of  the 
mad  spirit  of  war  is  aggravated  by  such  a  connection  with  nature's  sweet  retire- 
ment' 


810 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  rich  intervale,  entirely  free  from  forest  or  brush,  afforded 
an  admirable  cornfield ;  and,  under  the  careful  culture  of  the 
women,  an  ample  harvest  of  the  golden  grain  was  generally 
gathered.  About  two  miles  above  the  village  there  were  some 
falls  where  salmon,  shad,  and  alewives  were  taken  in  great 
abundance.  The  poet  Whittier,  in  his  poem  of  "  Mog  Megone," 
gives  a  very  graphic  description  of  the  chai  «ning  scenery  of  this 

ot.     Alluding  to  the  log-built  chapel,  he  writes,  — 


"  Yet  the  traveller  knows  It  a  house  of  prayer, 
For  the  sign  of  the  holy  cross  is  there ; 
And  should  he  chance  at  that  place  to  be, 
Of  a  sabbath  morn,  or  some  hallowed  day, 
When  prayers  are  made  and  masses  are  said, 
Some  for  the  living  and  some  for  the  dead,  — 
Well  might  that  traveller  start  to  see 
The  tall  dark  forms  that  take  their  way. 
From  the  birch  canoe  on  the  river  shore. 
And  the  forest  paths,  to  that  chapel  door; 
Marvel  to  mark  th^  naked  knees, 
And  the  dusky  foreheads  bending  there. 
While  in  coarse  white  vesture,  over  these, 

In  blessing  or  in  prayer, 
Stretching  abroad  his  thiu  pale  hands. 
Like  a  shrouded  ghost  the  Jesuit  stands." 

The  church  was  well  adapted  to  make  a  deep  impression  upon 
the  minds  of  the  Indians.  It  was  quite  richly  decorated  with 
paintings  of  the  crucifixion,  and  of  other  momentous  events  in 
biblical  history.  Silver  plate  was  provided  for  sacramental  ser- 
vices. Father  Rasle,  with  apostolic  self-denial  and  zeal,  had 
been  laboring  amidst  the  solitudes  of  that  ^remote  wilderness 
for  thirty-five  years.  He  had  made  many  converts,  and  had 
won,  to  an  extraordinary  degree,  the  love  of  the  whole  tribe. 

The  converts  were  put  on  probation  for  a  time;  and  after 
suitable  instruction,  when  Father  Rasle  became  convinced  of 
their  sincerity,  they  were  baptized,  and  admitted  to  full  com- 
munion. About  forty  young  Indians  were  trained  to  form  a 
choir,  and  in  other  ways  to  assist  the  pastor  in  his  religious 
exercises.  They  were  clad  in  surplices  and  other  clerical  robes, 
intended  to  impress  the  people  with  a  sense  of  the  solemnity  of 
their  service. 

Morning  and  evening  the  Indians  were   assembled  in  the 


THE  a  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


311 


chapel  for  prayer  and  singing.  Living  generally  a  listless  life, 
with  but  little  to  do  and  but  little  to  occupy  their  minds,  the 
households  gathered  eagerly  in  the  chapel  to  enjoy  these  observ- 
ances. In  one  of  his  letters  he  testifies  to  the  sweetness  with 
which  the  young  Indians  sang,  and  to  the  unvarying  propriety 
and  devoutness  with  which  they  performed  their  religious 
duties. 

We  have  before  mentioned  that  Father  Rasle  was  by  birth  a 
gentleman  of  illustrious  family,  and  that  he  had  received  an 
accomplished  education ;  yet  we  can  never  detect  in  his  letters 
a  murmur  in  view  of  the  hardships  of  his  lot.  To  his  nephew 
in  France  he  writes,  — 

"Here  I  am,  in  a  cabin  in  the  woods,  in  which  I  find  both  crosses  and 
religions  observances  among  the  Indians.  At  the  dawn  of  the  morning  I 
say  mass  in  the  chapel,  made  of  the  branches  of  the  fir-tree.  The  residue 
of  the  day  I  spend  in  visiting  and  consoling  the  savages.  It  is  a  severe 
affliction  to  see  so  many  famished  persons,  without  being  able  to  relieve 
their  hunger." 

Many  years  ago  thirty-four  volumes  of  "  Lettres  Editiantes 
et  Curieuses,"  wiitten  from  distant  missionary  stations,  were 
published  in  France.  The  following  extract  from  one  of  Father 
Rasle's  letters  will  be  read  with  interest.  It  was  dated  at 
Narantsouk,  which  is  the  Indian  name  for  Norridgewock,  Oct. 
16,  1722,  only  about  two  years  before  his  death :  — 

"None  of  my  converts  fail  to  repair  twice  each  day  to  the  church,— 
in  the  morning  to  hear  mass,  and  in  the  evening  to  assist  at  the  prayers 
which  I  offer  at  sunset.  As  it  is  necessary  to  fix  the  imagination  of  these 
Indians,  which  is  too  easily  distracted,  I  have  composed  some  appropriate 
prayers  for  ihem  to  make,  to  enable  them  to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  the 
august  sacrifice  of  our  altars.  Besides  the  sermons  which  I  deliver  before 
them  on  Sundays  and  festival  days,  I  scarcely  pass  a  week-day  without 
making  a  short  exhortation  to  inspire  them  with  a  horror  of  those  vices 
to  which  ihey  are  most  addicted,  or  to  strengthen  them  in  the  practice  of 
some  virtue. 

"  After  mass  I  teach  the  catechism  to  the  children  and  young  persons, 
while  a  large  number  of  aged  people  who  are  present  assist,  and  answer 
with  perfect  docility  the  questions  which  I  put  to  them.  The  rest  of  the 
morning,  oven  to  mid-day,  is  set  apart  for  seeing  those  who  wish  to  speak 
with  me.     They  come  to  me  in  crowds  to  make  me  a  participator  in  their 


I 


812 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


paina  and  inquietudes,  or  to  communicate  to  me  causes  of  complaint  against 
their  countrymen,  or  to  consult  me  on  their  marriages  and  other  affairs  of 
importance. 

"It  is  therefore  necessary  for  me  to  instruct  some,  to  console  others,  to 
re-establish  peace  in  families  at  variance,  to  calm  troubled  consciences,  to 
eorrect  others  by  reprimands  mingled  with  softness  and  charity;  in  fine,  aa 
far  as  possible  to  render  them  all  contented. 

"  After  mid-day  T  visit  the  sick,  and  go  around  among  the  cabins  of  those 
■who  require  more  particular  instructions.  If  they  hold  a  coimcil,  which  is 
often  the  case  with  these  Indians,  they  depute  one  of  their  piincipal  men  to 
ask  me  to  assist  in  their  deliberations.  I  accordingly  repair  to  the  place 
where  their  council  is  held.  If  I  think  they  are  pursuing  a  wise  course,  I 
approve  of  it.  If,  on  the  contrary,  I  have  any  thing  to  say  in  opposition  to 
their  decision,  I  declare  my  sentiments,  supporting  them  by  weighty  reasons. 
My  advice  always  fixes  their  resolutions. 

«« In  the  midst  of  such  occupations,  you  cannot  imagine  with  what  rapidity 
the  days  pass  by.  When  the  Indians  repair  to  the  seashore,  where  they 
pass  some  months  in  hunting  ducks  and  other  birds  which  are  found  there 
in  large  numbers,  they  build  on  an  island  a  church,  which  they  cover 
with  bark,  and  near  it  they  erect  a  little  cabin  for  my  residence.  I  take 
eare  to  transport  thither  a  part  of  'our  ornaments,  and  the  service  is  per- 
formed with  the  same  decency  and  the  same  crowds  of  people  as  at  the 
village. 

"  You  see,  then,  my  dear  nephew,  what  are  my  occupations.  For  that 
which  relates  to  me  personally,  I  will  say  to  you  that  I  neither  see,  nor  hear, 
nor  speak  to  any  but  the  Indians.  My  food  is  very  simple  and  light.  I 
have  never  been  able  to  conform  my  taste  to  the  meat  or  smoked  fish  of  the 
savages.  My  nourishment  is  composed  only  of  corn  which  they  pound,  and 
of  which  I  make,  each  day,  a  kind  of  hominy,  which  I  boil  in  water.  The 
only  luxury  in  which  I  indulge  is  a  little  sugar,  which  I  mix  with  it  to 
correct  its  insipidity.  This  is  now  wanting  in  the  forest.  In  the  spring 
the  maple-trees  contain  a  liquor  very  similar  to  that  which  is  found  in  the 
sugar-canes  of  the  southern  islands.  The  women  employ  themselvss  in  col- 
lecting this  in  vessels  of  bark  as  it  is  distilled  from  the  trees.  They  then 
boil  it,  and  draw  off  from  it  a  very  good  sugar." 

On  the  19th  of  August,  1724,  a  party  of  two  hundred  and 
eight  men,  accompanied  by  three  Mohawk  Indians,  left  Rich- 
mond Fort,  opposite  Swan  Island,  for  an  attack  upon  Norvidge- 
wock.  The  troops  ascendid  the  river  in  seventeen  whale-boats. 
The  next  day  they  reached  Teconnet,  now  Winslow,  where 
they  landed.  Forty  men  were  left  to  guard  the  boats  ;  the 
remainder  of  the  party  commenced  a  rapid  march,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  21st,  through  the  woods,  to  strike  the  foe  by  surprise. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


818 


The  party  was  led  by  Capts.  Harmon  *  and  Moulton.  Towards 
the  evening  of  that  day  they  overtook  the  noted  chief  Bomtv* 
seen,  with  his  wife  and  daughter.  The  chief  and  his  child 
were  both  shot ;  the  wife  was  taken  captive.^ 

It  was  a  little  after  noon  of  the  22d  when  the  soldiers  came 
in  sight  of  the  village.  The  party  was  divided  into  three 
bands  of  nearly  equal  numbers,  so  as  to  encircle  the  village,  and 
cut  ofif  all  escape.  Two  of  these  were  placed  in  ambush,  while 
the  remainder  were  marshalled  for  an  impetuous  charge.  There 
is  considerable  diversity  in  the  details  of  the  narratives  which 
are  given  of  the  massacre  which  ensued.  After  examining 
several  different  accounts,  the  writer  thinks  the  following  as 
impartial  as  any  which  can  now  be  given :  — 

The  thickets  which  surrounded  the  village  were  so  dense  that 
the  assailants  were  not  discovered  until  they  poured  in  a  volley 
of  bullets  upon  the  wigwams  and  their  inmates.  Immediately, 
with  loud  shouts,  the  English  rushed  upon  their  victims.  The 
consternation  was  terrible.  The  only  thing  thought  of  was 
escape  by  flight.  There  were  but  about  fifty  men  in  the  village. 
It  is  evident  that  nothing  like  a  defence  was  attempted,  since 
the  Indians  were  skilled  marksmen,  and  yet  not  an  Englishman 
was  shot. 

The  savages  endeavored  only  to  save  their  aged  men,  their 
wives,  and  their  children.  In  a  tumultuous  mass,  the  women 
and  children  shrieking,  they  rushed  towards  the  river.  The 
encircling  foe  cut  off  escape  in  every  other  direction.  Though 
the  water  was  low,  in  the  channel  it  was  six  feet  deep,  which 
precluded  the  possibility  of  wading  across.  The  husbands  and 
fathers  endeavored,  by  swimming,  to  aid  the  helpless.  A  dread- 
ful slaughter  took  place.  Those  placed  in  ambush  rose,  and  all 
rushed  forward,  hurling  a  storm  of  bullets  upon  the  crowded 
assemblage  of  men,  women,  and  children  struggling  in  the 
water. 

The  deed  was  soon  accomplished.     Many  were  drowned,  and 

^  Sullivan,  p.  175,  probably  by  miatake,  calls  the  senior  officer  Hammond. 

*  They  fell  in  with  Boraaseon  about  Taconnet,  where  they  shot  him  as  ho  was 
escaping  tlirough  the  river.  His  wife  and  daughter  were  in  a  barbarous  manner 
fired  upon;  the  daughter  killed  and  the  inotlier  taken.  — Drake's  Book  of  the  In- 
dians, book  iii.  p.  Ill 


814 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


many  pierced  by  bullets  were  swept  down  by  the  stream  to 
their  watery  graves.  It  was  estimated  that  about  eighty  were 
slain.  This  seems  a  small  number  when  we  reflect  that  nearly 
two  hundred  practised  soldiei's  were  discharging  their  guns  as 
rapidly  as  possible  upon  them,  taking  deliberate  aim.  The 
awful  deed  of  slaughter  was  soon  accomplished.  The  pursuers 
returned  to  the  village,  where  they  found  Father  Rasle  in  the 
parsonage.  As  he  came  forward  to  meet  them,  a  shower  of 
bullets  pierced  his  body,  and  he  fell  dead.* 

The  slain,  such  as  could  be  found,  including  Father  Rasle, 
were  scalped,  and  the  soldiers  retired.  Gradually  the  Indians 
who  had  escaped  returned  to  their  utterly  desolated  homes. 
Even  the  stoicism  of  the  savage  was  overcome,  as  he  gazed  upon 
the  smouldering  ruins,  and  the  gory  bodies  of  his  relatives  and 
friends,  men,  women,  and  children,  which  were  strewed  around. 
Their  first  care  was  to  search  for  the  remains  of  their  beloved 
missionary.  These  they  washed,  and  with  prayers  and  loud 
lamentations  buried  below  the  altar,  where  he  had  so  often 
ministered  to  them  in  sacred  things.  Over  the  remains  they 
reared  a  rude  cross.  Their  chief  Bomaseen,  and  the  others  of 
the  dead,  they  also  buried  with  such  solemnities  as  they  had 
been  taught  to  exercise.^ 

The  tribe  was  destroyed.  The  few  woe-stricken  survivors, 
having  completed  their  mournful  task,  turned  sadly  from  the 
homes  endeared  to  them  by  all  the  associations  of  childhood, 
and  which  their  ancestors  had  occupied  through  countless  gen- 
erations, and  sought  refuge  with  the  Penobscots.  The  name 
of  the  Norridgewocks  was  blotted  forever  from  the  register  of 
Indian  tribes. 

The  reader  will  be  interested  in  reading  the  account  which 
the  French  historian,  P6re  de  Charlevoix,  gives  of  this  tragic 


1  "  Great  brutality  and  ferocity  are  chargeable  to  the  English  in  this  affair, 
according  to  their  own  account;  such  as  killing  women  and  children,  and  scalping 
and  mangling  the  body  of  Father  Rasle."  —Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  iii. 
p.  119. 

2  For  further  particulars  see  Belknap's  History  of  New  Hampshire,  vol.  ii. 
p.  60;  Hutchinson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  279;  Penhal  low's  Indian 
Wars.  It  will  be  perceived  that  there  are  considerable  discrepancies  in  tha 
details. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


SIS' 


event  in  his  "  Hiatoire  et  Discoverie  Gdn^rale  de  la  Nouvelle 
France."     We  give  a  literal  translation  from  the  French :  — 

'•  There  were  then  but  fifty  warriors  in  the  village.  They  seized  their 
arms,  and  ran  tumultuously,  uol,  to  dofeud  the  place  against  an  ena  ly  who 
had  already  entered  it,  but  to  aid  the  aged  men,  the  women,  and  the  cilldren 
in  their  flight,  and  to  give  them  tima  to  gain  the  other  side  of  the  river. 
Father  Rasle,  apprised,  by  the  clamor  and  the  tumult,  of  the  danger  in 
which  his  converts  were  involved,  presented  himself  unintimidated  to  his 
assailants,  with  the  hope  of  drawing  upon  himself  alone  their  attention,  and 
thus  to  secure  the  safety  of  his  flock  at  the  peril  of  his  ovm  life. 

"  His  hope  was  not  in  vain.  Scarcely  had  he  appeared  when  the  English 
gave  a  great  shout,  which  was  followed  by  a  shower  of  bullets,  of  which  he 
fell  dead  near  a  cross  which  he  had  planted  in  the  middle  of  the  village. 
Seven  Indians  who  had  accompanied  him,  and  who  had  wished  to  make  for 
him  a  rampart  of  their  own  bodies,  were  killed  at  his  side. 

"  Thus  died  this  loving  pastor,  giving  his  life  for  his  flock,  after  a  labori- 
ous mission  of  thirty-seven  years.  Thrown  into  consternation  by  his  death, 
the  Indians  fled.  The  English,  finding  that  they  had  none  left  to  resist 
them,  fell  first  to  pillaging  and  then  to  burning  the  wigwams.  They  spared! 
the  church  so  long  as  they  thought  proper  to  profane  the  image  of  the  adora- 
ble Saviour  and  the  sacred  vessels,  and  then  they  set  it  on  fire.  At  length 
they  withdrew  in  so  great  precipitation  that  it  was  rather  a  flight.  They 
seemed  to  be  struck  with  a  perfect  panic. 

"  The  Indians  immediately  returned  to  their  village.  It  was  their  first 
care  to  weep  over  the  body  of  their  holy  missionary,  while  the  women  were 
looking  for  plants  and  herbs  to  l.eal  their  wounded.  They  fouud  him  shot 
in  a  thousand  places,  scalped,  his  skull  broke  to  pieces  with  tl.«i  bloivb  of  the 
hatchets,  his  mouth  and  eyes  full  of  mud,  and  the  bones  of  his  legs  frac- 
tured, and  all  his  members  mangled  in  a  hundred  differen'u  ways.  After  hi» 
converts  had  raised  up  and  oftentimes  kissed  the  precious  remains,  so 
tenderly  and  so  justly  beloved  by  them,  they  buried  him  in  the  same  place 
•where  he  had,  the  evening  before,  celebrated  the  sacred  mysteries;  namely^ 
Tvhere  the  altar  stood  before  the  church  was  burned. ^ 

In  the  year  1833,  Benedict  Fenwick,  bishop  of  Boston,  re- 
paired to  the  site  of  the  little  chapel  of  Rasle,  in  Norridgewock, 
and  on  the  anniversary  of  its  destruction,  Aug.  23,  erected 
a  monument  to  the  memory  of  the  self-denying  missionary. 

It  was  of  granite,  surmounted  by  an  iron  cross.  From  the 
foundation  to  the  highest  point  of  the  cross  is  eighteen  feet.  A 
Latin  inscription,  of  which  the  following  is  a  literal  transla- 
tion, was  cut  into  the  stone :  — 

*  Histoire  Generate,  1. 11.  p.  332. 


816 


THE  HiaTORT  OF  MAINE. 


'*  Rev.  Subaatian  Uaale,  a  native  of  France,  a  missionary  of  the  •ooiety 
of  Jesuits,  at  first  preaciiing  for  a  few  years  to  the  Illinois  and  Ilurons, 
afterwards  for  thirty-four  years  to  the  Abenaquis,  in  faith  and  charity  « 
true  apostle  of  Christ;  undaunted  by  the  danger  of  arms,  often  testifying 
that  he  was  prepared  to  die  for  his  ttock;  at  length  this  best  of  pastors  f-jU 
amidst  arms  at  the  deatruction  of  the  village  of  Norridgewook  and  the  ruina 
of  his  own  churcii,  in  this  very  place,  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  August, 
A.D.  1724. 

•'  Benedict  Fenwick,  Bishop  of  Boston,  has  erected  this  monumunt,  and 
dedicated  it  to  him  and  his  deceased  children  in  Christ,  on  the  28d  of 
August,  A.D.  1833,  to  the  greater  glory  of  God." 

About  two  years  after,  some  mischievoua  individuals  over- 
turned the  monum  nt.  To  the  credit  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Norridgewook  this  conduct  was  not  approved  by  them,  as  was 
evinced  by  their  immediately  replacing  it.  The  accompanying 
cut  represents  this  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Father  Rasle. 


MONTTMENT  OK  RASI.E,   NORRIDGKWOCK. 


On  the  27th  the  victorious  detachment  returned  to  Port 
Richmond  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man.  This  was  con- 
sidered the  most  brilliant  exploit  in  the  Indian  wars  since  the 
death  of  King  Philip.     Capt.  Harmon  proceeded  to  Boston  witif 


THE  HISTORY  OF  UAISE. 


•17 


the  scalps  to  obtain  the  rich  reward.    He  was  at  once  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel. 

Still  desperate  Indian  bands  infested  the  frontiers.  A  regi- 
ment of  three  hundred  men  was  raised  to  range  the  country 
from  the  Kenneboo  to  the  Penobscot.  This  region  was  the 
favorite  resort  of  the  Indians  for  fowling  and  fishing.  But  the 
Indians  were  watchful,  and  but  few  were  caught.  In  December 
Capt.  John  Lovewell,  or  Lovel  as  his  name  is  sometimes  spelled, 
went  on  a  military  excursion,  with  thirty  men,  to  Lake  Winni- 
piseogee,  in  New  Hampshire.  They  succeeded  in  killing  and 
scalping  one  Indian,  and  in  capturing  an  Indian  boy.  For  these 
they  received  in  Boston  the  reward  promised  by  law. 

Again  in  February,  1725,  Capt.  Lovewell,  with  forty  men, 
was  on  the  march  upon  the  margin  of  a  small  lake,  since  called 
Lovewell's  Pond,  near  the  head  of  Salmon  Falls  River.  They 
came  suddenly  upon  a  party  of  ten  Indians,  all  soundly  asleep 
around  their  camp-fires.  The  English  silently  took  deliberate 
aim,  and  at  a  simultaneous  discharge  of  their  muskets  killed 
nine,  and  sorely  wounded  the  tenth.  The  wounded  man  sprang 
to  his  feet,  and  endeavored  to  escape  ;  but  a  powerful  dog  which 
accompanied  the  English  soon  overtook  him,  and  held  him  till 
he  was  despatched  with  hatchets.  For  these  ten  scalps  the 
victors  received  in  Boston  uuiversal  applause,  aud  tho  more 
substantial  reward  of  a  thousand  pounds  sterling.^ 

The  savages  still  succeeded  in  occasionally  shooting  a  man. 
Two  very  worthy  farmers  were  killed  in  North  Yarmouth. 
Several  others  were  attacked,  and  one  severely  wounded  at 
Cape  Porpoise.  At  Maquoit  two  Indians  captured  a  man  by 
the  name  of  Cochran.  The  first  night  they  bound  their  captive 
securely ;  the  second  night  he  was  more  loosely  confined,  and 


»  Drake  gives  the  following  account  of  this  adventure  :  "Lovewell,  with  forty 
men,  came  upon  a  small  company  of  ten  Indians  who  were  asleep  by  their  fires, 
•nd,  by  stationing  his  men  advantageously,  killed  them  all.  After  taking  off  their 
scalps  these  forty  warriors  marched  to  Boston  in  great  triumph,  with  the  ten 
scalps,  extended  upon  hoops,  for  which  they  received  a  thousand  pounds.  This 
exploit  was  the  more  lauded,  as  it  was  supposed  that  these  ten  Indians  were  upon 
an  expedition  against  the  English  upon  the  frontiers,  having  new  guns,  much 
ammunition,  and  spare  blankets  and  moccasins  to  accommodate  captives.  This, 
however,  was  mere  conjecture.  Whether  they  had  killed  friends  or  enemies  was 
not  quite  so  certain  as  that  they  had  killed  Indiana."  —Book  ill.  p.  127. 


618 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  two  Indians,  weary  with  a  long  day's  march,  fell  soundly 
Asleep.  Cochran  succeeded  in  loosing  his  bonds,  and,  rising 
softly,  with  his  hatchet  killed  them  both.  He  took  their  scalps 
and  their  guns,  the  indisputable  proofs  of  his  achievement,  and 
returned  tu  the  fort. 


CHAPTER  XVTII. 

THE  PBOQEESS  ANP  TERMINATION  OF   LOVEWELL's  "WAlt. 

Encampment  at  Great  Ossipee  —  Serious  Contest — Death  of  Lovewell  —  Of 
Frye  —  Fate  of  the  EngUsh  in  Lovewell's  War  —  Government  Measures  — 
Native  Honor — Indian  Distresses  —  Incorporation  of  Orono  —  Heath's  Ex- 
pedition—Attaclc  upon  Young  Castine — The  Dummer  Treaty  —  Indian 
Ijetters  —  Cost  of  Indian  Wars  —  Peace  concluded. 


ON  the  15th  of  April,  1725,  Capt.  John  Lovewell  set  out  on 
another  expedition  againsl  the  Indians.  He  left  Dunstable 
with  forty-six  volunteers,  thoroughly  equipped.  They  directed 
their  march  toward  the  Ossipee  Ponds,  near  the  upper  waters  of 
the  Saco  River.  Three  of  the  company  gave  out  under  the 
fatigues  of  the  way,  and  returned. 

When  they  reached  the  westerly  side  of  the  Great  Ossipee 
Pond,  in  New  Hampshire,  about  ten  miles  beyond  the  west  line 
of  Maine,  they  built  a  small  stockade  fort.  This  was  intended 
as  a  place  of  retreat  in  case  of  disaster,  and  also  as  a  hospital 
for  eight  of  their  number  who  were  sick  and  unable  to  go  any 
farther.  They  were  then  about  one  hundred  miles  from  home. 
Here  Capt.  Lovewell  left  the  sick  men  with  a  surgeon  and  a 
guard. 

With  but  thirty-two  men  he  resumed  his  march  towards  the 

north-westerly  margin  of  Lovewell's  Pond,  a  distance  of  about 

twenty-two  miles.     This  sheet  of  water,  situated  in  the  town  of 

Fryeburg,  is  about  two  miles  long,  and  its  average  width  is 

about  half  a  mile.     They  moved  with  much  caution,  for  about 

two  miles  west  of  them  there  was  an  Indian  village  called  Peg- 

wacket.     Like  most  other  Indian  hamlets,  it  was  delightfully 

situated  in  a  fertile  and  romantic  spot>  commanding  a  charming 

view  of  land  and  water. 

S19 


820 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Here  they  noiselessly  encamped  for  the  night.  They  heard 
the  confused  murmur  of  distant  voices,  which  they  supposed 
proceeded  from  the  Indians,  but  encountered  no  alarm.  A 
chaplain  accompanied  the  party.  He  was  a  very  noble  young 
man,  a  recent  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  by  the  name  of 
Jonathan  Frye.  It  was  their  invariable  custom  to  have  morn- 
ing prayers. 

While  engaged  in  their  devotions  they  were  startled  by  the 
report  of  a  gun.  Cautiously  approaching  the  edge  of  the  pond, 
they  saw,  across  the  water,  at  the  distance  of  nearly  a  mile,  a 
single  Indian  hunter,  who  had  just  discharged  his  gun  at  some 
game.  His  scalp  was  worth  five  hundred  dollars.  Immediately 
the  party  set  out  to  capture  him.  They  had  not  proceeded  far, 
when  they  came  to  a  small  plain,  smooth  as  a  floor,  covered 
with  pine  trees,  and  entirely  froe  from  underbrush.  Such 
plains  often  present  the  most  lovely  spots  in  our  forest  land- 
scapes. I 

To  expedite  their  march,  the  soldiers  threw  off  their  packs, 
and  left  them  in  a  pile  together,  without  any  guard.  They 
could  easily  retrace  their  steps  and  find  them.  Hurrying  on, 
the  whole  party  soon  disappeared  amidst  the  thickening  glooms 
of  the  forest.  After  travelling  about  a  mile  they  came  again  in 
sight  of  the  Indian.  He  was  not  in  the  least  aware  of  his  dan- 
ger, and  was  sauntering  along  with  a  shot-gun  upon  his  shoul- 
der and  a  few  birds  in  his  hand.  Several  guns  were  immedi- 
ately fired  at  him ;  but  so  hurriedly,  and  the  distance  was  such, 
that  they  all  missed  their  aim.  The*  Indian  sprang  behind  a 
tree,  and  saw,  at  a  glance,  that  escape  was  impossible.  Taking 
deliberate  aim,  he  fired  at  Capt.  Lovewell,  inflicting  a  serious 
wound.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  Ensign  Wyman  fired,  and 
the  Indian  fell  dead,  pierced  by  his  bullet.  They  took  his  scalp, 
and  returned  for  their  packs. 

In  the  mean  time  two  renowned  Indian  chiefs,  Paugus  and 
A^'ahwa,  returning  from  a  scout  down  the  Saco  River,  caught 
sight  of  the  pile  of  knapsacks.  They  knew  that  the  owners 
would  soon  return  for  them.  By  counting  the  packs  they  ascer- 
tained the  number  of  the  English.    It  was  not  difficult  to  trace 

fhft  nafll    nnnn  -arfiinh   the    P'.nnrliaK    haA    aAva-nnaA        TKcf/ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


321 


between  seventy  and  eighty  warriors  in  the  Indian  band.' 
They  placed  themselves  in  ambush,  and  awaited  the  return  of 
their  intended  victims. 

About  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  May,  the 
English  were  marching  leisurely  along,  on  their  return,  when 
they  reached  the  ambush.  The  Indians,  completely  surround- 
ing them,  suddenly  rose,  and  with  presented  guns  and  loud 
shouts  rushed  upon  them.  These  Indians  had  frequented  the 
western  settlements  of  Maine,  and  were  well  acquainted  with 
Capt.  LovewelP  and  most  of  his  men.  Mr.  Drake,  in  his 
account  of  tlie  battle,  says  that  the  savages  were  loath  to  kill 
these  their  former  friends,  and  wished  to  take  them  captives. 
In  attestation  of  this  fact,  he  quotes  Mr.  Symmes's  minute 
account  of  the  conflict,  published  the  same  year  in  which  it 
took  place.  It  is  certain  that  they  did  not  fire  from  the  ambush 
when  they  might  so  easily  have  shot  down  every  man  without 
being  seen  themselves.* 

"  They  presented  their  guns,"  says  Drake,  "  and  threw  away 
their  first  fire."  This  only  encouraged  the  English.  Facing 
their  foes,  they  poured  in  upon  them  a  deadly  fire,  and  several 
Indians  fell.  This  ushered  in  the  unequal  battle  in  hot 
earnest.  The  Indians,  outnumbering  the  English  more  than 
two  to  one,  itamediately  sprang,  each  man  behind  a  tree,  and, 
entirely  surrounding  their  victims,  commenced  the  awful 
slaughter.  At  the  first  volley  of  the  Indians,  Capt.  Lovewell 
and  eight  of  his  men  fell  dead,  and  two  more  were  wounded. 

But  these  valiant  men,  torn  by  the  bullets,  fought  their  way 
to  the  pond,  which  was  at  the  distance  of  but  a  few  rods. 
There  was  here  a  sandy  beach,  with  a  bank  rising  five  or  six 
feet  high.  The  Indians  could  no  longer  surround  them.  The 
bank  presented  a  rampart  to  protect  them  from  the  bullets  of 
the  savages,  and  from  behind  which  they  could  take  deliberate 
aim  at  any  foe  who  should  venture  to  expose  hand  or  head. 
Here,  for  eight  dreadful  hours,  these  men  fought.    They  were 

1  Penhallow  aays  that  there  were  seventy;  Hutchinson  and  Symmes,  thirty; 
Belknap,  forty-one;  Williamsun,  sixty-three. 

2  Mr.  Willis,  In  his  History  of  Portland,  spella  Lovewell,  Lovell,  and  calls  the 
Tndian  village  Pequakett,  instead  ol  Pegwaoket,  p.  2CQ.    Drake  spells  it  Plgwoket. 

(  T>rQ.TfA'a  Sook  of  ths  Tndiftr.s  hnnV  *!{.  t.  19*> 
21 


I 


822 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


80  outnumbered  that  flight  was  impossible.  They  had  no  food. 
Their  knapsacks,  with  their  spare  ammunition,  were  seized  by 
the  savages.  There  was  no  chance  of  any  re-enforcements. 
It  would  seem  that  their  doom  was  sealed,  and  that  by  no  pos- 
bibility  could  one  escape. 

At  times  there  was  a  brief  lull  in  the  battle.  The  Indians, 
retiring  beyond  gunshot,  seemed  to  be  holding  a  council.  In 
one  of  the  councils,  or  conferences.  Ensign  Wyman  crept 
through  the  forest,  and  shot  one  of  the  chiefs.  Still  the  Indians 
sent  a  bold  warrior  within  hailing  distance  of  the  English,  who^ 
shouted  out,  "  Will  you  have  quarter  ?  "  It  is  probable  that 
the  English  felt  assured,  that,  after  they  had  killed  so  many  of 
the  Indians,  no  quarter  would  be  granted,  and  that  their  inevit- 
able doom  would  be  death  by  torture.  Their  reply  was,  "  We 
will  have  no  quarter  but  at  the  muzzles  of  our  guns." 

The  firing  had  become  quite  desultory.  The  combatants, 
upon  each  side,  kept  concealed  as  much  as  possible,  and  fired 
only  when  quite  sure  of  striking  their  foe.  About  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon.  Chaplain  Frye  received  a  mortal  wound.  He 
lived  for  several  hours,  but  was  heard  praying  earnestly  that 
God  would  preserve  his  surviving  companions.  There  were 
among  the  Indians  praying  uien.  These  also,  doubtless,  with 
expiring  breath,  pleaded  with  God  in  behalf  of  their  country- 
men. Both  were  unquestionably  sincere.  Alas  for  man  !  How 
strange  must  have  been  the  meeting,  in  the  spirit  land,  of  these 
fellow  Christians,  who  had  killed  each  other  1 

During  the  engagement,  the  combatants  often  conversed  with 
each  other,  from  behind  their  ramparts,  separated  by  but  a  few 
yards.  They  called  each  other  by  name,  and  talked  in  almost 
friendly  terms.  John  Chamberlain  was  a  very  bold,  magnani- 
mous man,  of  large  stature.  His  gun  had  become,  by  repeated 
firing,  too  foul  for  use.  He  stepped  down  to  the  water  to  wash 
it  out.  Just  at  that  moment  Paugus,  the  Pegwacket  chief,  who 
was  also  a  man  of  herculean  size,  jumped  down  the  bank  to 
wash  out  his  gun.  They  were  at  the  distance  of  but  a  few 
yards  from  each  other.  They  were  well  acquainted,  and  had 
formerly  met  as  friends.    Paugus  could  speak  English. 


XiiU    UUlltCSt      IIU\T      VTCK3 


4-/\    aoo  XMrUfS  nrnillH   OTftt.    hlfl    C^UIl    flFSt    111 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


828 


order.  As  Paugiia  rammed  down  the  bullet,  he  said  to  his  old 
friend,  "  I  shall  now  very  quick  kill  you."  —  "  Perhaps  not," 
said  Chamberlain,  who  had  the  advantage  of  a  gun  which,  in 
charging,  primed  itself.  There  was  an  instantaneous  flash,  fol- 
lowed by  a  report,  and  the  Indian  chief  fell  dead. 

The  savages  took  great  care  to  keep  themselves  concealed ; 
and  it  is  not  probable  that  many  of  them  were  slain.  At  night 
the  Indians  withdrew,  when  it  would  seem  that  they  must  have 
known  that  the  English  were  entirely  at  tneir  mercy.  Many  of 
them  had  fired  from  twenty  to  thirty  times,  and  their  ammuni- 
tion was  nearly  exhausted.  It  is,  however,  not  improbable  that 
the  Indians  had  expended  all  theirs.  They  could  only  obtain 
supplies  by  tedious  journeys  through  the  forests  to  Canada.' 

Both  Messrs.  Penhallow  and  Synimes,  the  two  most  authentic 
narrators  of  the  battle,  estimate  that  the  Indians  lost  between 
forty  and  fifty  of  their  warriors.  This  is  apparently  merely  con- 
jecture, and  is  quite  incredible.  As  they  were  decidedly  the 
victors,  withdrawing  of  their  own  accord,  not  being  driven 
from  the  field,  it  is  scarcely  possible  that  they  could  have  lost 
more  than  half  of  their  number.' 

Solomon  Keys  received  three  bullet-wounds,  and  was  appar- 
ently dying.  To  save  his  dead  body  from  being  mangled  by  the 
savages,  he  rolled  himself  down  the  beach  to  a  canoe,  which 
chanced  to  be  there.  Almost  senseless  he  succeeded  in  creep- 
ing into  it.  A  gentle  breeze  blew  the  canoe  across  the  pond 
diagonally,  and  landed  it  but  a  short  distance  from  the  stockaded 
fort  into  which  he  contrived  to  creep. 

*  "  In  going  to  Quebec  it  is  necessary  to  take  more  than  a  fortnight  to  reach 
there.  They  have  to  furt^ish  themselves  with  provisions  for  the  journey.  They 
have  different  rivers  to  pass,  and  frequent  portages  to  make.  The  Indians  are 
aware  of  these  inconveniences,  and  are  by  no  means  indifferent  to  their  interests. 
But  thek  faith  is  infinitely  more  dear  to  them.  They  believe,  that,  if  they  detach 
themselves  from  our  alliance,  they  will  shortly  find  themselves  without  a  mission- 
ary, ^vithout  a  stKsrifice,  and  in  manifest  danger  of  being  plunged  into  their  former 
heathenism.  This  is  the  bond  which  unites  them  to  the  French."  —  Father  Raale't 
Letter,  found  in  "  Lettres  Ediflantea  et  Cvrieuses." 

*  Penhallow,  in  his  History  of  the  Indian  Wars,  represents  the  number  of 
Indians  engaged  In  this  conflict,  at  seventy.  Of  these  he  says  that  forty  were 
killed  outright,  and  eighteen  were  mortally  wounded  who  soon  died.  This  makes 
a  total  loss,  in  dead,  of  fifty-eight  Thus,  according  to  this  estimate,  twelve  only 
escaped  with  their  lives.  In  every  battle  there  are  many  wounded,  who  subse- 
quently recover.  Did  these  twelve  escape  wounds'?  or  was  every  Indian  either 
killed  or  wounded? 


8S4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


As  the  sun  went  down  the  moon  rose,  shedding  its  pale  light 
over  the  gloomy  forest.  The  savages  had  disappeared,  leaving 
solitude  and  silence  to  reign  over  the  dismal  scene  of  slaughter. 
It  is  impossible  to  account  for  the  fact  that  they  left  the  dead 
bodies  of  Capt.  Lovewell  and  his  men  unscalped.  The  survivors 
felt  that  not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost  in  the  attempt  to  gain  the 
fort.  There  were  but  twenty-two  living.  Two  of  these  were 
mortally  /  unded.  They  could  not  be  removed.  They  were 
left  to  dis  alone.  There  was  no  possible  escape  for  them  from 
this  cruel  fate.  They  had  cause  to  fear  that  the  savages  would 
return  and  wreak  vengeance  upon  them,  in  the  most  direful 
tortures.  Eight  others  were  wounded  more  or  less  severely ;  but 
still  they  were  able  to  hobble  along  in  the  awful  midnight 
retreat.  There  were  but  twelve  unwounded.  This  heroic  band 
had  fought  all  day,  without  food  ;  and,  half  famished,  they  com- 
menced their  painful  march.  Dreadful  was  the  situation  of  the 
exhausted,  bleeding  troops,  without  food,  tents,  blankets,  or  any 
means  for  dressing  a  wound.  The  dead  were  left  unburied,  as 
these  war-stricken  men  commenced  their  retreat.^ 

Chaplain  Frye,  a  dying  man,  mortally  wounded,  as  we  have 
said,  toiled  along  a  mile  or  two,  when  he  threw  himself  upon  the 
ground  saying,  "  I  cannot  take  another  step.  Here  I  must  die. 
Should  you  ever,  through  God's  help,  reach  your  homes,  tell 
my  father,  that  I  expect  in  a  few  hours  to  be  in  eternity,  but 
that  I  do  not  fear  to  die." » 

All  the  night  long  the  survivors  toiled  through  the  forest, 
expecting  every  moment  to  hear  the  war-whoop  of  the  approach- 
ing savages,  who  had  probably  gone  to  their  village  for  fresh 
supplies  of  ammunition.  Perhaps  they  found  none  there  ;  and 
this  may  account  for  their  relinquishing  the  pursuit.     In  the 

»  Accuracy,  in  the  detaUs  of  these  events,  is  impossible.  The  same  annahst 
will  often  give  contradictory  statements.  Williamson  says,  "  Collecting  together 
in  the  evening,  they  found  that  there  were  ten  already  dead,  nine  uninjured,  one 
missing,  and  fourteen  wounded." 

Again  he  writes,  "  Twenty  of  them,  leaving  the  fatal  spot,  directed  their  march 
towards  the  fort.  Eight  were  lame  or  fuU  of  anguish  from  their  wounds  "  — 
Wiliiamton,  vol.  il.  p.  132. 

2  This  noble  young  man,  who  had  displayed  great  heroism,  was  the  son  of  Capt. 
James  Frye  of  Andover,  Mass.  His  amiable  and  promising  character  had  given 
him  many  friends ;  and  he  died  greatly  lamented.  He  had  kept  a  journal  of  their 
march,  which,  unfortunately,  waa  lost  with  iiim. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


825 


morning  the  fugitives  divided  into  three  bands,  hoping  thus  to 
be  able  to  conceal  their  trail.  Nearly  twenty  men,  walking  in 
single  file,  would  leave  a  track  which  the  eagle-eyed  Indian 
could  easily  discern. 

At  length  sixteen  of  them  reached  the  fort,  wiiere  they  had 
hoped  to  find  refreshment  and  a.  reserved  force.  In  a  direct 
line  it  was  distant  from  the  battle-field  but  about  twenty  miles. 
Still  by  the  circuitous  route  which  they  took,  and  encumbered 
by  the  wounded,  several  of  whom  soon  died,  three  or  four  days 
were  spent  on  the  journey.  To  their  bitter  disappointment 
they  found  the  fort  deserted.  It  appeared  afterwards,  that 
when  the  savages  first  sprang  from  their  ambush,  deafening  the 
ear  with  their  hideous  yells,  one  of  the  Englishmen  succeeded 
in  escaping.  He  saw  the  utter  hopelessness  of  his  companions 
surrounded  by  apparently  three  times  their  own  number. 
Upon  reaching  the  fort,  he  gave  an  account,  no  less  true  than 
frightful,  of  the  condition  of  his  comrades.  Capt.  Lovewell 
and  several  others  were  already  killed.  The  rest  were  sur- 
rounded, and  were  selling  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 

The  feeble  band,  for  only  the  sick  had  been  left  behind,  ex- 
pecting every  moment  to  hear  the  yells  of  the  approaching 
savages,  precipitately  fled.  Fo'-tunately  they  left  behind  them 
some  provisions.  The  starving  fugitives,  after  a  short  rest, 
resumed  their  doleful  march.  Their  sufferings  from  famine, 
pain,  and  weariness,  cannot  be  adequately  described.  Fourteen 
finally  reached  their  homes.*  Such  are  the  particulars,  so  far 
as  can  now  be  ascertained,  of  what  has  been  called  "  Lovewell's 
Victory."^  A  provincial  poet  of  those  days  commemorated 
the  event  in  verses  which  "  j  the  time  obtained  much  renown, 
and  which  were  pensively  sung  in  many  farmhouses.  We  give 
the  three  closing  stanzas  :  — 

"  Ah  I  many  a  wife  shall  rend  her  hair, 
And  many  a  child  cry  '  Woe  is  me,' 
When  messengers  the  news  shall  hear 
Of  Lovewell's  dear-hought  victory.         ^ 

1  Drake's  Book  of  the  Indians,  book  iii.  p.  125. 

»  Mr.  Williamson  writes,  "The  battle  of  Pegwacket  broke  the  heart  and  spirit 
of  the  Sokosis  natives.  In  a  short  time  they  withdrew,  and  resided  no  more  in 
those  pleasant  and  ancient  dwelling-places,  till  peace.  After  this  event  the  star 
of  tho  tribe,  pale  and  dscliniag,  gra^lnally  settled  in  darkness."  —  Vol.  11.  p.  141. 


I 


826  THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 

"  With  footsteps  alow  shall  travellers  go 

Where  Love  well's  Pond  shines  clear  and  bright, 
And  mark  the  place  where  those  are  laid 
Who  fell  In  Lovewell's  bloody  fight. 

"  Old  men  shall  shake  their  heads,  and  say, 
'  Sad  was  the  hour,  and  terrible. 
When  Lovewell's  brave  'gainst  Paugus  went, 
With  fifty  men  from  Dunstable.'  "  i 

The  wretched  state  of  the  country  induced  the  legislature  to 
adopt  more  vigorous  measures  to  bring  the  war  promptly  to  a 
close.  The  Indians  had  greatly  dwindled  away.  Poorly  armed, 
and  with  but  scant  ammunition,  they  were  much  disheartened. 
The  loss  of  a  single  warrior  was,  by  them,  very  sensibly  felt. 

All  the  eastern  garrisons  were  strengthened  and  replenished 
by  the  government.  Liberal  pay  was  offered  to  volunteers.  A 
large  number  of  friendly  Indians,  from  Massachusetts,  were 
employed  as  allies.  The  Indian  hostages,  detained  in  Boston, 
became  exceedingly  impatient  of  their  restraint.  It  speaks  well 
for  them,  that  one  of  these  hostages,  together  with  a  captive 
taken  in  war,  was  liberated  with  permission  to  visit  their  tribe 
upon  their  parole  of  honor  to  return ;  and  they  both  faithfully 
came  back,  and  surrendered  themselves  to  imprisonment.  They 
had  been  absent  two  mouths.  They  brought  back  with  them 
the  following  report,  so  melancholy  for  them,  so  encouraging 
for  the  English  :  — 

"  The  losses  our  tribes  have  met  with,  and  the  daily  terror  they  experi- 
ence, causes  their  lives  to  be  miserable.  They  long  for  peace.  The 
Indians  on  the  Penobscot  are  about  to  propose  a  negotiation,  that  the  war 
may  be  brought  to  a  close."  » 

Again  they  were  permitted  to  go  back  to  their  friends,  with 
the  stipulation,  that  within  twenty-three  days  they  should 
return  with  a  delegation  of  chiefs  for  a  peace  conference.  It 
was  supposed  that  they  would  aid  in  urging  forward  peace 
measures. 

In  a  former  chapter  we  have  given  a  narrative  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  fort  and  pleasant  little  village  of  the  Indians,  at  Old- 
town,  far  up  the  Penobscot.  This  was  in  February,  1723.  Col. 
Thomas  Westbrook  led  the  expedition.     I^.  his  official  report  to 

^  Farmer  and  Moore's  Historical  CoUsotions  vol.  liL 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


827 


Lieut-Gov.  Dumraer,  he  wrote,  after  describing  the  commodious 
structures  which  the  French  and  Indians  had  reared,  — 

'•  We  set  fire  to  them  all,  and  by  sunrise  the  next  morning  they  were  all 
in  ashes.  We  then  returned  to  our  nearest  guard,  thence  to  our  tents.  On 
our  arrival  at  our  transports  we  concluded  we  must  have  ascended  the  river 
about  thirty-two  miles. "  * 

The  Indians,  after  the  retirement  of  the  English,  returned  to 
the  ruins  of  their  former  homes.  Their  losses  and  sufferings 
were  terrible.  The  foe,  against  whom  they  were  contending, 
was  infinitely  their  superior.  Game  in  the  forests  had  become 
scarce.  With  difficulty  could  they  obtain  ammunition  for  hunt- 
ing. It  was  necessary  for  them  to  rear  their  humble  villages 
on  the  seashore  or  on  the  banks  of  rivers,  that  by  clamming 
and  fishing  they  might  lengthen  out  their  miserable  existence. 
But  here  the  English  could  easily  come  upon  them  in  their 
ships  and  strong  whale-boats.  Even  if  they  retired  far  back 
into  the  country,  and  planted  their  fields  with  corn,  after  wait- 
ing half-famished,  weary  weeks  for  the  harvest,  they  knew,  by 
bitter  experience,  that  energetic  English  bands  would,  in  all 
probability,  pass  through  the  trails  of  the  forest,  lay  their  vil- 
lage in  ashes,  and  trample  their  harvest  in  the  dust. 

Their  doom  was  dreadful.  It  was  no  wonder  that  they 
longed  for  peace.  Sadly  the  returning  fugitives  wandered 
through  the  desolations  of  their  former  homes,  with  no  heart  to 
attempt  to  rebuild.  Oldtown,  the  site  of  this  Indian  village, 
was  upon  an  island  of  the  same  name,  about  twelve  miles  above 
where  Bangor  now  stands.  In  the  year  1806,  the  township  of 
Orono,  previously  called  Stillwater,  was  incorporated,  including 
the  region  of  Oldtown.  It  took  its  name  from  a  celebrated 
Indian  chief  Orono,  of  the  Tarratine  tribe.  He  was  a  warm 
friend  of  the  Americans  in  the  war  of  the  Kevolution.  In  the 
year  1840,  Oldtown  was  incorporated  as  a  separate  town. 
Orono  was  the  one  hundred  and  sixty-second  town  incorporated 
in  the  State,  and  contained  then  about  three  hundred  inhabitants. 
The  unhappy,  despoiled,  half-famished  savages  wandered 
down  the  western  banks  of  the  river,  until  they  came  to  the 
spot  where  Bangor  now  stands.     Tlie  region  was  then  an  un- 

i  Coiiections  of  Massacliusetta  Histoikal  Society,  vol.  vlii.  p.  264, 2u  ser. ;  Hiitcli- 
Inson's  History  of  Massachusetts,  vol.  ii.  p.  273. 


o 

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THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


329 


broken  wilderness,  through  which  the  Kenduskeag  River  flowed 
silently  into  the  Penobscot.  Hei*e  they  rebuilt  their  village. 
It  is  probable  that  six  or  sevon  French  families  were  with  them; 
for  seven  houses  were  found  with  cellars  and  chimneys.  There 
were  about  fifty  Indian  huts,  indicating,  in  their  structure,  a 
people  slowly  emerging  from  barbarism. 

Capt.  Joseph  Heath  commanded  the  garrison  at  Richmond. 
He  heard  of  this  Indian  village,  situated  but  about  one  hundred 
miles  north-east  from  him,  through  the  trails  of  the  lonely,  un- 
inhabited forest.  In  the  month  of  May,  1725,  Capt.  Heath 
took  a  company  of  men,  and  marched  across  the  country,  from 
the  Kennebec  to  the  Penobscot.  The  Indians  heard  of  his 
approach  ;  and  the  whole  population,  men,  women,  and  children, 
fled  into  the  forest.  They  could  take  with  them  only  such 
articles  as  they  carried  upon  their  backs.  It  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive how  they  could  have  escaped  utter  starvation.  Probably 
many  of  them  did  perish  of  hunger. 

Finding  the  village  deserted,  Capt.  Heath  burned  all  the 
dwellings,  including  a  commodious  church,  and  destroyed  the 
cornfields.  His  party  then  returned  to  Richmond,  not  having 
caught  sight  of  a  single  Indian.  It  was  thought  by  many  that 
this  was  a  very  injudicious  expedition,  considering  that  the 
Indians  had  already  made  proposals  for  a  peace  conference. 
The  village  destroyed  was  situates  on  what  has  since  been 
called  Fort  Hill.  The  Indians  never  attempted  to  rebuild  upon 
this  spot.  They  subsequently  returned  to  Oldtown,  where  they 
re-established  themselves  near  the  graves  of  their  fathei-s. 

There  was  another  deed  perpetrated  by  the  English,  of  so 
atrocious  a  character  that  no  English  historian  has  been  willing 
to  dwell  upon  i*^^s  details.  The  Indian  village  on  the  Penobscot 
was  destroyed  in  May.  On  the  20th  of  June  a  few  Indian 
chiefs,  with  a  flag  of  truce,  were  approaching  Fort  St.  George, 
at  Thomaston,  to  sue  for  peace.  A  detachment  from  the  fort 
attacked  them,  killing  one  and  severely  wounding  another.^ 

There  was  still  a  third  adventure,  which,  as  a  descendant  from 
the  English,  one  blushes  to  record.  Young  Castine,  of  whom 
we  have  before  spoken,  who  was  ever  the  friend  of  peace,  and 

1  Williamson's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  ii.  p.  144. 


880 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


who  had  often  attested  his  magnanimous  t'pirit  toward  the 
English,  was  in  a  small  sail-boat,  at  anchor  just  o£F  the  south- 
east point  of  the  present  town  of  Sedgwick,  which  was  then 
called  Naskeag  Point.  He  had  on  board  his  boat  a  lad  supposed 
to  have  been  his  son,  the  child  of  his  wife,  who  was  a  chieftain's 
daughter,  and  another  boy  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Trask,  a 
oaptive  from  Salem,  whom  he  had  humanely  redeemed  from  the 
Indians. 

He  saw  an  English  sloop  approaching  ;  but  there  was  no  war 
then  between  France  and  England,  and  Castine  had  no  thought 
of  any  danger.  They  were  probably  fishing.  As  soon  as  the 
Bloop  came  within  musket-shot  the  crew  opened  fire  upon  him. 
Fortunately  none  were  struck  by  the  bullets.  Castine  and  his 
companions  speedily  took  shelter  upon  the  land.  The  captain 
of  the  sloop  then  raised  the  white  flag,  and  shouted  out  to 
Castine,  upon  the  shore,  that  the  firing  was  a  misUke. 

The  guileless  young  man,  incapable  of  treachery  himself, 
immediately,  with  his  companions,  rowed  out  to  the  sloop.  As 
soon  as  they  stepped  on  board  the  Englishman  seized  young 
Trask,  and  turning  to  Castine  said,  "  Your  bark  and  all  it  con- 
tains are  lawful  prize.  You  yourself  are  justly  my  prisoner. 
You  may  think  yourself  well  off  to  escape  without  further 
molestation." 

Castine  and  his  son  returned  to  the  shore.  Some  of  the  crew 
accompanied  them.  One  of  them  then  seized  the  lad  with  a 
firm  grasp,  apparently  intending  to  kidnap  him.  Castine,  find- 
ing it  impossible  to  extricate  the  boy,  shot  the  miscreant  dead, 
and  with  his  son  escaped  into  the  woods.  Mr.  Williamson 
writes,*  "  The  conduct  of  these  mariners  was  a  great  reproach 
to  them,  and  in  every  respect  the  height  of  impolicy :  for  the 
Indians  were  now  entertaining  thoughts  of  peace,  and  Castine, 
who  still  possessed  great  influence  among  them,  had  more  than 
once  attested  his  magnanimity  by  instances  of  friendship  and  a 
forbearing  spirit  towards  the  English." 

Notwithstanding  these  occurrences  so  calculated  to  exasperate 
the  Indians,  they  still  persevered  in  their  endeavors  to  obtain 

•  Penhallow's  Indian  "War.  Collections  of  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society, 
Tol.  L  p.  120. 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


881 


peace.  Thirteen  chiefs  met  two  commissioners  from  Boston,  at 
Fort  St.  George.  The  commissioners,  John  Stoddard  and  Joho 
Wainwright,  were  not  disposed  to  be  courteous. 

"  Why,"  they  demanded,  "  did  you  make  war  upon  the  set- 
tlers?" One  of  the  chiefs,  speaking  in  behalf  of  the  rest, 
replied,  "  Because  you  have  taken  possession  of  our  lands,  even 
as  far  as  Cape  Newagen.'  You  also,  at  that  place,  seized  two 
Indians,  and  beat  them  to  death." 

"  We  did  not  seize  your  lands,  "  was  the  reply :  "  we  bought 
them.  We  have  the  deeds  which  were  given  us,  and  can  show 
them.  If  our  men  did  kill  yours  it  was  wrong.  But  why  did 
you  not,  according  to  the  treaty,  appeal  to  our  government  ? 
Why  did  you  take  the  hatchet?  " 

To  this  the  chief  replied,  "  We  come  for  peace.  We  wish  to 
recall  all  our  young  men  from  the  war." 

The  result  was  that  a  general  council  was  appointed  to  meet 
in  Boston  at  the  end  of  forty  days.  Still  there  was  no  peace ; 
only  a  prospect  of  peace.  Distant  war  parties,  on  both  sides^ 
unaware  that  negotiations  were  opening,  continued  their  cruel 
ravages.  Early  in  November  four  of  the  most  distinguished 
sagamores  of  the  Kennebec,  Penobscot,  and  other  eastern  In- 
dians, repaired  to  Boston.  The  discussion  which  ensued  lasted 
for  more  than  a  month.  The  Indians  felt  very  deeply  that 
their  hunting-grounds  were  encroached*  upon,  and  that  they 
were  defrauded  of  their  territory  by  pretended  purchases  from 
Indians,  who,  having  become  intoxicated,  were  ready  to  sign 
any  contracts  which  their  betrayers  might  present  to  them. 

At  length  the  Indians  were  compelled  to  relinquish  all  their 
demands.  Hostilities  ceased.  Professed  friendship  was  estab- 
lished. The  English  were  left  in  undisputed  possession  of  all 
the  land  which  they  claimed  as  their  own.  The  government  of 
Massachusetts  was   authorized   to   arrange  all  the  trade  and 


'  Boothbay,  Litjcoln  County,  is  a  pemnsula  situated  between  tlie  mouths  of 
.he  Sheepscot  and  the  Damarisootta  Rivers,  and  is  what  was  formerly  known  as 
CJape  Newagen.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  settled  as  early  as  1630.  William- 
son speaks  of  the  island  of  Gape  Newagen,  about  four  and  a  half  miles  long,  and 
of  an  average  width  of  one  mile,  separated  from  Boothbay  by  a  narrow  channel 
called  Townsend  Gut.  See  Goolidge  and  Mansfield's  Description  of  New  Eng- 
land, voL  i.  p.  69,  and  Williamson's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  I  p.  55. 


882 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


intercourse  between  the  two  parties.  If  any  Indians  declined 
to  ratify  the  treaty,  the  chiefs  in  council  pledged  their  tribes  to 
join  the  English,  and  compel  the  opposers  to  submission. 

It  was,  in  fact,  an  unconditional  surrender  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians.  Dire  necessity  compelled  them  to  yield  to  the  humil- 
iating terms.*  This  celebrated  document,  since  known  in  his- 
tory as  the  "  Dumraer  Treaty,"  was  signed  on  the  15th  of 
December,  1725.  It  continued  in  force  for  many  years.  The 
Indians  were  too  feeble  in  strength  and  too  broken  in  spirits  to 
venture  to  violate  its  terms. 

Thu  General  Court  immediately  established  quite  extensive 
trading-houses  at  Fort  Richmond,  on  the  Kennebec,  and  on  the 
far  away  banks  of  St.  George's  River,  where  the  flourishing 
village  of  Thomaston  now  stands,  but  which  was  then  almost 
an  unbroken  wilderness.  Goods  for  Indian  traffic  were  deposited 
there  to  the  amount  of  three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 

There  were  but  four  sagamores  present  to  sign  this  treaty. 
It  was  deemed  important  that  there  should  be  a  fuller  represen- 
tation of  the  chiefs  of  all  the  tribes.  Another  meeting  was 
appointed.  It  was  held  at  Falmouth,  on  the  30th  of  July,  1726. 
Forty  chiefs  attended.  They  represented  nearly  all  the  Maine, 
Nova  Scotia,  and  the  Canada  tribes.  Many  of  these  Indians 
had  become  Christians.  They  declined  doing  business  on  the 
sabbath  day.  There?  were  several  vessels  in  the  harbor,  and 
there  were  taverns  on  the  shore. 

A  large  number  of  Indians  had  accompanied  their  chiefs. 
The  lieutenant-governors  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire were  also  attended  by  quite  a  brilliant  retinue  of  soldierly 
younrj  men.  All  were  much  impressed  by  the  intelligence  and 
high  moral  qualities  manifested  by  many  of  these  chiefs.  They 
most  earnestly  requested  of  the  English  authorities,  that  they 
would  prohibit  the  sale  of  any  intoxicating  liquors  to  their 
young  men.  Lieut.-Gov.  Dummer  assured  them  that  positive 
orders  should  be  given  to  that  effect. 

After  deliberately  examining  and  explaining  the  treaty  in  the 
meeting-house,  it  was  signed,  on  the  part  of  the  English,  by 

»  Records,  Kesolves,  and  Journals  of  Massachusetts  Government,  vol.  xii. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


33S 


Lieut.-Gov.  Dummer  and  a  number  of  his  councillors ;  and,  on 
the  part  of  the  Indians,  by  Weiiemovet,  a  chief  sagamore,  and 
twenty-six  of  his  associates.  It  is  said  that  this  treaty  may  still 
be  seen  in  the  government  archives  at  Boston,  with  all  the 
signatures  or  respective  marks  of  the  Indians.^ 

There  is  no  power  of  law  which  can  restrain  individual  acts 
of  outrage.  The  most  efficient  government  cannot  prevent  the 
perpetration  of  crime.  In  this  respect  the  influence  of  the 
Indian  chiefs  was  superior  to  that  of  the  white  man's  laws.  Still 
there  were  drunken  and  vagabond  Indians  who  easily  yielded 
to  any  temptation. 

A  fishing  vessel  from  Plymouth  entered  a  forest-encircled 
bay  in  Nova  Sco,'.^.  A  fellow  by  the  name  of  John  Baptiste 
(we  know  not  whether  he  was  a  Frenchman  or  an  Englishman), 
with  his  son  and  three  Indians,  whom  he  had  inveigled  into  the 
service,  endeavored  to  seize  it.  Instead  of  capturing,  they  were 
all  captured.  They  were  taken  to  Boston,  tried  for  piracy, 
condemned,  and  all  were  hanged.  There  were  a  few  other 
similar  acts  of  outrage.  But,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  character 
of  the  times,  it  seems  surprising  that  there  should  have  been  so 
few.  One  of  the  chiefs,  by  the  name  of  Wenunganet,  who 
lived  on  the  River  St.  George,  wrote  to  Gov.  Dummer,  — 

"  We  look  upon  such  Indians  as  much  our  enemies  as  yours.  We  are  in 
as  much  dr  nger  from  them  as  any  of  your  people  are.  We  are  resolved  to 
punish  them  for  the  wrongs  which  they  have  done." 

The  English  traders  persisted  in  selling  rum  to  the  Indians. 
Under  the  influence  of  intoxication  the  young  men  became 
frenzied,  and  lost  all  self-control.  One  of  the  chiefs,  by  the 
name  of  Loron,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  veiy  noble  man, 
wrote  to  Gov.  Dummer,  — 


'-^  Do  not  let  the  trading-houses  deal  in  rum.    It  wastes  the  health  of  our 
young  men.    It  makes  them  behave  badly  both  to  your  people  and  to  cheir 


own  brethren.     This  is  the  opinion  of  all  our  chief  men. 
great  governor,  and  am  your  good  friend." 


I  salute  you, 


1  PenhaUoVs  Indian  Wars.    Oolleotion;,  of  th«  New  Hampshire  Historical 
Society,  vol  i  pp  lKi-133. 


334 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Another  sachem,  Wivurna,  wrote  to  the  governor  in  the  fol- 
lowing elevated  strain :  —  i 

*'  My  brother,  I  am  fully  satisfied;  for  all  the  blood  that  before  lay  boil- 
ing in  my  breast  has  flowed  away.  I  now  labor  for  peace  'ji  oar  land. 
Should  any  stormy  clouds  arise,  I  will  immediately  inform  you,  that  they 
may  do  us  no  harm.  In  three  things  you  make  my  heart  glad.  My  grand* 
sou,  who  was  to  me  dead,  is  alive,  and  has  returned  to  mo  safe.  Canava, 
who  was  a  captive,  has  come  home  alive  and  well.  He  is  encouraged  to  do 
good  service.  I  thank  you  for  your  kindness  to  me  and  to  my  people.  I 
am  now  old  and  gray-headed.  I  have  seen  many  good  men,  English,  French, 
and  Indians;  but  of  all  I  have  not  found  one  like  Grov.  Dummer  for  stead- 
fastness and  justice.  Were  I  a  sagamore,  and  young,  the  first  thing  I  should 
do  would  be  to  see  you;  but  as  I  am  old,  and  not  able  to  travel,  I  heartily 
salute  you,  my  good  friend.     Farewell.  *'  Wivubna." 

Gov.  William  Dummer,  who  had  become  so  prominent,  was 
born  in  Boston,  in  the  year  1677.  He  went  to  England,  proba- 
bly for  his  education.  There  he  was  appointed,  by  the  crown, 
lieutenant-governor  of  Massachusetts.  This  was  in  1716.  His 
father-in-law.  Gov.  Joseph  Dudley,  had  just  retired  from  office, 
after  a  stormy  administration  of  fourteen  years. 

Gov.  Dummer  was  a  man  of  irreproachable  morals,  and  of 
firm  religious  faith.  Without  possessing  any  brilliant  qualities 
of  mind,  he  manifested  sufficient  ability  for  all  the  great  emer- 
gencies which  rose  before  him.  His  highly  eulogistic  funeral 
sermon  was  preached  by  the  celebrated  Rev.  Mather  Byles.^ 

It  is  thought  that  during  this  war  one-third  of  the  four  Abe- 
naquis  tribes  had  perished.'*  The  war,  Penhallow  estimates,  had 
cost  the  government  a  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  pounds, 
in  addition  to  the  forts,  which  had  been  reared  and  repaired  at 
a  cost  of  not  less  than  ocventy-five  thousand  pounds.  These 
wretched  wars  had  impoverished  the  whole  land.  Every  man 
forty  years  of  age  had  seen  twenty  years  of  war.  Every  boy 
was  trained  to  arms.  The  scenes  of  cruelty  and  blood  every- 
where witnessed  hardened  the  heart  and  brutalized  the  charac- 

^  See  the  admirable  biographical  sketch  of  the  Dummers  in  the  Genteunial 
Discourse  t^elivered  at  Newbury,  by  N.  Gleaveland,  Esq. 

3  The  Abenaquis  inhabited  tiie  region  between  the  Fiscataqua  Biver  and  the 
J'enobscot.  The  nation  formerly  consisted  of  eleven  allied  tribes.  See  Drake's 
Book  of  the  Indians,  book  UL  p.  91,  and  Williamson's  History  of  Maine,  vol.  ii. 
n.  4M. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


335 


ter.  During  this  last  war,  about  two  hundred  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Maine  were  killed  or  carried  into  captivity.  The  anguish 
which  was  thus  sent  to  many  a  humble  cottage,  no  tongue  can 
tell. 

Some  of  the  captives  were  put  to  death  by  all  the  demoniac 
inflictions  of  Indian  torture ;  some  perished  from  cold,  exhaus- 
tion, and  hunger ;  some  were  never  heard  of  more,  and  what 
their  fate  was  none  can  know. 

The  Indians  were  fickle  as  children.  They  could  be  gentle, 
confiding,  affectionate,  at  one  moment ;  and  then,  at  some  sud- 
den exasperation,  become  cruel  as  fiends.  And  yet  it  was  an 
extraordinary  and  inexplicable  trait  in  their  character,  that  they 
never  thus  transformed  themselves  from  friends  to  enemies 
without  what  they  supposed  just  cause ;  and  they  always  gave 
notice  of  their  hostility  before  striking  a  blow.  The  habit  of 
giving  this  warning  was  invariable.  The  restoration  of  peace 
they  hailed  with  undisguised  and  almost  childish  delight.  We 
now  speak  of  the  majority  of  the  Indians,  the  common  people. 
The  chiefs  were  truly  the  aristoi,  the  best  of  the  land.  They 
were  almost  invariably  intelligent,  serious,  thoughtful  men,  whose 
minds  were  oppressed  with  the  magnitude  of  the  responsibilities 
thrown  upon  them,  as  they  saw  their  tribes  dwindling  away, 
and  their  hunting-grounds  passing  to  the  ownership  of  strangers. 

Upon  the  settlement  of  the  terms  of  peace,  they  flocked  to 
the  villages  of  their  former  foes,  with  faces  radiant  with  joy. 
In  very  many  cases  the  Indians  and  the  white  families  had  been 
well  acquainted  with  each  other.  They  had  often  met  in 
familiar  intercourse,  called  each  other  by  name,  and  had  ap- 
parently cherished  for  each  other  sincere  friendship. 

The  Indians  now  came  rushing  back,  with  smiles  and  cordial 
gi-eetings,  as  if  totally  unconscious  of  the  fiend-like  deeds 
which,  upon  both  sides,  had  been  recently  perpetrated.^  There 
was  one  very  noble  Indian,  by  the  name  of  Arabereuse,  who 
lived  on  the  banks  of  Mousom  or  Mousam  River.''    He  was 

'  See  some  discriminating  remarks  upon  this  subject,  by  Mr.  Edward  E.  Bourne, 
L]j.D.  in  Lis  excellent  History  of  Wells  and  Kennebunk,  pp.  327,  328. 

a  Mousom  Kiver,  as  Mr.  Williamson  spells  the  name,  was  formerly  called  Cape 
Porpoise  Eiver,  or  Maguncook.    It  issued  from  ponds  in  Shapleigh,  twenty  miles 

diStftli*         Ifc  «r*><t  ^n*  f**"*  ay^A   <•   Knl-C  — 11—  * TTr-li-  Trr_*ti> ,      .  

« — visu»      Aii  v***^  mJWv  Vttv  ctsi\t  a  Uxxix  uiUca  iiviix    TTCliS,  —  7T  iiWJlHSUTl^  VOl,  1.  p,  '£i. 


'i 


I 


886 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


eminently  a  man  of  peace,  a  "  praying  Indian,"  and  no  persua 
sions  could  induce  him  to  engage  in  the  war  on  either  side. 
Through  all  the  bloody  conflict  he  continued  to  visit  the  Eng- 
lish, as  if  peace  had  never  been  disturbed.     Mr.  Sullivan, 
writing  of  him,  says,  — 


"  There  came  to  Berwick  an  Indian  named  Ambereuse,  with  his  wife. 
He  said  he  hated  war,  and  only  wanted  to  live  where  he  could  make  his 
brooms  and  his  baskets,  and  live  in  peace.  He  remained  there  for  several 
years,  and  then  removed  to  the  Kennebec." 

There  were  more  than  two  hundred  Indians  p^^sent  at  the 
conference  in  Falmouth,  when  the  treaty  of  the  former  year 
was  confirmed  and  ratified.  Over  forty  gentlemen  composed 
the  retinue  of  the  governor.  The  convention  was  held  beneath 
a  spacious  tent  on  Munjoy's  Hill.  At  the  close  of  the  con- 
ference, quite  a  splendid  banquet  for  those  times  was  given 
beneath  the  canvas  of  the  teit,  at  the  expense  of  Jie  Massa- 
chusetts government.  So  large  a  concourse  of  people  had  never 
before  been  gathered  in  any  of  the  settlements  in  Maine. 
Though  vessels  at  anchor  in  the  bay  had  brought  supplies,  the^•e 
was  such  an  entire  consumption  of  the  articles  of  food,  that 
one  of  the  annalists  of  that  day  wrote,  "  They  left  us  quite 
bare  ;  and  nothing  of  the  country's  produce  was  left,  only  three 
bushels  of  corn  and  some  small  things."  ^ 

The  three-years'  war,  thus  terminated,  was  usually  called 
Lovewell's  War,  from  the  important  part  he  took  in  its  cam- 
paigns. It  was  carried  on  by  the  Indians  without  any  recog- 
nized assistance  from  the  French.  There  was,  at  that  time, 
settled  peace  between  France  and  England.  Undoubtedly  the 
sympathies  of  the  French  in  Canada  were  with  their  long-tried 
friends,  the  Indians.  But  they  could  not  take  any  active  part 
in  favor  of  the  savages,  without  violating  solemn  tr  jaty  obliga- 
tions. 

1  History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  8S3. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


THE  DOOM  OP  THE  INDIAN. 

French  Influence  —  Governor  Dummer— His  Wise  Policy— The  Trading- 
Houses  —  Life  at  Fahnouth  —  Governors  Burnet  and  Belcher  —  Act  against 
Duellhig— Encfoaclunentsof  the  English  — Conference  at  Falmouth-  Gov. 
Shirley— Visit  of  Whitefleld  — Council  at  St.  George  — The  Indians  desir« 
Peace  — Indians  refuse  to  fight  their  Brethren  —  The  Capture  of  Louis- 
burg— War  Proclaimed  against  the  Indians  —  Peace —Subsiding  Billows  — 
New  Claims  of  the  English  — Fort  at  Teconnet. 

A  SACHEM  was  asked,  "Why  are  you  all  so  ardently 
-^^  attached  to  the  French,  from  whom  you  can  never  receive 
80  much  benefit  as  you  may  receive  from  the  English  ?  " 

The  chief,  after  a  moment's  pause,  gravely  replied,  "  Because 
the  French  have  taught  us  to  pray  unto  God ;  which  the  Eng- 
lish never  did." 

This  question  was  often  asked  of  the  chiefs  and  of  the  com- 
mon Indians.  Invariably  answers  were  returned  essentially  the 
same.  I  give  a  summaiy  of  those  answers,  made  on  different 
occasions,  but  here  brought  together  :  — 

"  The  French  are  our  friends  ;  they  advocate  our  rights,  and  become,  aa 
it  were,  one  with  us.  They  sell  ua  whatever  we  want,  and  never  take  away 
our  lands.  They  send  the  kind  missionaries  to  teach  ua  how  to  worship  the 
Great  Spirit ;  aud,  like  brothers,  they  give  us  good  advice  when  we  are  in 
trouble.  When  we  trade  with  them,  we  have  good  articles,  full  weight,  and 
free  measure.  They  leave  ua  our  goodly  rivers,  where  we  catch  fine  salmon, 
aud  leave  us  unmolested  to  hunt  the  bear,  the  moose,  and  the  beaver,  where 
our  fathers  have  hunted  them.  We  love  our  own  country,  where  our  fathers 
were  buried,  and  where  we  and  our  children  were  bom.  We  have  our 
rights,  as  well  as  the  English ;  we  also  know,  as  well  as  they,  what  is  just 
and  what  is  unjust. 

22         '  837 


S38 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


"  Wlien  you  English  came,  we  received  you  with  open  arms.  We  thought 
you  children  of  the  sun  ;  we  fed  you  with  our  best  meat.  Never  did  a  white 
man  go  hungry  from  our  cabins.  But  you  returned  evil  for  good.  You 
put  the  burning  cup  to  our  lips.  It  filled  our  veins  with  poison.  When 
you  had  intoxicated  us,  you  took  the  advantage,  and  cheated  us  in  trade. 
You  now  tell  us  that  our  country  is  yours,  that  it  has  passed  from  us  for- 


ever. 


"You  say  that  you  have  bought  our  lands  from  our  sagamores.  It  is 
not  true.  Our  chiefs  love  their  tribes  too  well,  and  have  too  great  souls,  to 
turn  their  children  from  the  homes  of  their  latners.  Where  can  we  go  ? 
We  own  no  other  land.  There  is  no  other  land  so  dear  to  us.  The  forts 
which  you  have  built  on  our  territory  are  contrary  to  treaty  ;  and  they 
ought  to  be  laid  low."  ^ 

Such  were  the  feelings  of  the  Indians.  They  were  sincere 
and  unalterable ;  but  the  utterances  were  eventually  silenced 
by  hopeless  defeat.  Gov.  Dummer  was  anxious  to  withdraw 
the  Indians  from  their  intercourse  with  the  French.  Had  the 
spirit  Avhich  animated  him  prevailed  from  the  beginning,  there 
need  have  been  no  war  whatever  with  the  Indians. 

Gov.  William  Dummer,  an  American  by  birth,  had  been 
acquainted  with  the  Indians  from  infancy.  For  some  of 
them  he  had  undoubtedly  formed  a  strong  attachment.  Many 
of  the  natives  were  noble,  warm-hearted  men.  Gov.  Dum- 
mer knew  how  to  sympathize  with  them  in  their  wrongs. 
The  course  of  conciliatory  measures,  upon  which  he  ener- 
getically entered,  seemed,  for  a  time,  almost  to  obliterate  from 
the  minds  of  the  Indians  the  remembrance  of  their  former 
grievances. 

In  addition  to  the  trading-houses  at  Fort  George  and  Fort 
William,  he  established  a  third  at  Fort  Mary,  near  Winter  Har- 
bor. Men  of  established  reputation  for  integrity  and  discretion 
were  api)ointed  to  preside  at  these  stations.  The  most  valuable 
articles  for  Indian  use  were  deposited  in  each  of  them,  to  the 
amount  of  four  or  five  thousand  dollars.  The  keepers  of  these 
stores  were  instructed  to  sell  them  at  an  advance  only  sufficient 
to  cover  the  prime  cost  with  the  freight  and  waste.  Full  value 
was  allowed  for  the  furs  and  skins  of  the  Indians.    Those  who, 


1  Williamson,  vol.  11.  n.  113. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


339 


by  any  calamity,  were  in  want,  were  assisted  by  a  generous 
charity.* 

There  was  no  longer  any  motive  to  induce  the  Indians  to 
take  long  journeys  to  Canada  for  purposes  of  trade.  Indeed, 
the  Canada  Indians  resorted  to  the  English  trading-houses,  find- 
ing that  they  could  purchase  commodities  there  better  and 
cheaper  than  cither  at  Quebec  or  Montreal. 

York  and  Falmouth  were  now  the  principal  towns  in  Maine. 
Vork  was  the  shire-town,  the  political  centre.  Falmouth  was 
the  commercial  emporium.  It  may  be  mentioned,  in  illustra- 
tion of  the  luxuries  in  which  our  ancestors  indulged,  that  the 
only  house  in  town  which  contained  a  papered  room  was  the 
parsonage;  and  the  paper  in  that  house  was  fastened  upon 
the  walls  by  nails,  and  not  by  paste.^ 

At  one  time,  in  the  year  1727,  there  were  thirty  vessels  riding 
at  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Falmouth.  There  were  then  sixty- 
four  families  in  the  town.  The  number  increased,  in  two  years, 
to  about  two  hundred.  Rev.  Thomas  Smith  was  settled  as 
pastor  of  the  church.  Brunswick  was  one  of  the  first  towns 
resettled  after  the  desolations  of  these  disastrous  wars.  Still 
this,  like  all  other  settlements,  advanced  slowly.  In  1750  there 
were  but  twenty  families  in  the  place. 

Soon  after  the  accession  of  George  II.,  he  appointed  William 
Burnet  governor  of  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Maine. 
He  was  a  very  handsome  man  of  imposing  stature,  and  of  very 
popular  manners.  His  scholarly  tastes,  his  practical  common- 
sense,  and  his  remarkably  cheerful  disposition,  rendered  him 
very  popular.  In  the  year  1730,  Burnet  died.  Jonathan  Bel- 
cher was  appointed  by  the  crown  to  succeed  him.  He  also 
was  a  native  of  Boston,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College,  and  the 
son  of  one  of  the  most  opulent  merchants.  Endowed  naturally 
with  fine  powers  of  mind,  he  had  travelled  extensively  abroad ; 
and  his  naturally  graceful  manners  were  much  improved  by 
intimacy  with  the  best  European  society. 

One  of  the  first  acts  which  the  governor  signed  was  against 

»  Eecords,  Resolves,  and  Journals  of  the  Massachusetts  Gtovernment,  vol.  xil 
pp  88W512. 

-  nistoiy  of  Portiaud,  by  William  Willis,  p.  864. 


840 


THE  BISTORF  OF  MAINE. 


11 


duelling.  By  this  it  was  enacted  that  whosoever  should  kill 
another  in  a  duel  should  be  hanged ;  and  that  his  body,  together 
with  that  of  the  one  he  had  killed,  should  be  buried  without  a 
coffin,  and  that  a  stake  should  be  driven  through  them  both. 
In  the  autumn  of  1732,  the  governor  made  quite  an  extensive 
tour  through  the  settlements  of  Maine.  In  his  next  address  to 
the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  he  said,  — 

**  It  gave  me  surprising  pleasure  to  see  80  large  a  part  of  this  Province 
•ccommodated  with  fine  rivers  and  harbors,  islands  and  main,  capable  of 
many  and  great  improvements.  The  three  rivers,  St.  George's,  Kennebec, 
and  Saco,  are  bordered  with  fine  lands  full  of  timber.  I  cannot  but  think 
this  country  will,  in  time,  be  equal  in  every  thing  to  any  part  of  New 
England." 

To  induce  emigration  to  Maine,  several  townships  were  sur- 
veyed, and  farm  lots  of  a  hundred  acres  each  marked  out.  One 
of  these  farms  was  offered  to  any  man  who  would  within  three 
years  settle  upon  it,  erecting  a  house  eighteen  feet  square, 
and  who  would  clear  from  five  to  six  acres  for  mowing  and 
tillage. 

In  the  year  1735,  the  population  of  Maine  probably  amounted 
to  about  nine  thousand  souls.  There  wc  a  nine  towns,  and 
several  settlements  called  plantations.  About  fifteen  hundred 
of  these  inhabitants  were  in  the  Sagadahoc  region.  There  were 
about  three  hundred  and  seventy  men  there  capable  of  bearing 
arms.*  Commerce  was  reviving.  The  articles  of  export  were 
fish,  fur,  and  lumber.  The  forests  of  Maine  were  a  great  store- 
house of  wealth.  Masts,  boards,  shingles,  and  timber  were 
shipped  in  considerable  quantities. 

But  again  the  Indians  became  alarmed.  The  increasing 
settlements  were  encroaching  upon  their  territories,  and  the 
thoughtful  men  saw  clearly  that  the  time  was  fast  approaching 
when  they  would  be  driven  from  all  their  possessions.  The 
English  were  building  new  fortifications,  and  repairing  the  old 
ones.  The  sagamores  sadly  complained  of  this ;  while,  at  the 
same  time,  they  stated  that  they  were  extremely  anxious  that 
peace  should  be  perpetuated.    The  subject  was  referred  to  a 

»  Summary  of  British  Settlements  in  North  America,  by  Willlara  Douglas^ 
vol.  i.  p.  504. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


841 


committee  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature.  After  conferring 
with  the  chiefs,  they  made  the  following  report,  whiqh  we  give 
slightly  abbreviated :  — 

"The  Indians  have  unquestionably  possessory  rights  to  the  lands  in  the 
extensive  wilderness  where  they  dwell.  Tliis  has  often  been  recognized  by 
the  purchases  which  have  been  made.  In  the  year  1694,  Madockawando 
ceded  to  Sir  William  Phips  lands  on  both  sides  of  the  St.  George's  River,  as 
iax  as  the  upper  falls,  but  no  farther.  The  chiefs  acknowledge  that  they 
have  consented  to  have  English  settlements  made  as  far  aa  the  falls ;  and 
they  claim  that  the  English  have  no  right  to  take  possession  of  the  lands 
above  the  falls  until  they  have  fairly  purchased  them."  * 

The  report  was  accepted.  A  present  of  five  hundred  pounds 
was  sent  from  the  government,  by  the  hands  of  the  chiefs,  to 
the  tribe,  and  they  returned  to  their  homes  very  happy.  In  the 
year  1737,  Brunswick  was  incorporated,  the  eleventh  town  in 
the  State.  It  was  originally  called  Pegypscot,^  and  its  first 
inhabitant  was  Thomas  Purchas.  In  1735  there  were  between 
thirty  and  forty  men  in  the  settlement.  After  the  lapse  of  half 
a  century  it  contained  a  population  of  thirteen  hundred  and 
eighty-seven. 

The  governor  generally  visited  Maine  every  year.  He  had 
frequent  and  friendly  interviews  with  the  Indian^,  He  was 
deeply  impressed  with  the  value  of  the  harbor  at  Pemaquid, 
and  repeatedly  urged  upon  the  legislature  the  importance  of 
putting  it  in  a  better  state  of  defence.  He  arranged  for  a  con- 
ference with  a  large  delegation  of  Indians,  at  Falmouth.  The 
meeting  took  place  in  the  month  of  July,  1732.  The  governor, 
with  a  large  retinue  of  gentlemen,  took  passage  from  Boston  to 
Falmouth  in  a  man-of-war.^ 

Soon  after  the  governor's  arrival,  about  two  hundred  Indians 

»  Williamson,  vol.  11.  p.  191. 

«  Ml".  Willis  spells  this  name  Pejepscot;  It  is  also  so  spelled  by  Coolidge  and 
Mansfield;  but  we  follow  here  the  orthography  of  Mr.  Williamson,  who  seems  to 
have  taken  it  from  the  Journal  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives,  p.  26. 

»  Mr.  Williamson  gives  the  year  173!)  as  the  date  of  this  council.  Mr.  Willis 
thinks  this  a  mistake.  He  writes,  "Tlie  misa  prehension  of  Mr.  Freeman,  in  re- 
gard to  the  year,  led  Williamson  into  an  error  in  his  History  of  Maine,  vol.  11.  p. 
201,  in  assigning  to  this  year  a  treaty  with  the  Indians  at  Falmouth.  This  took 
place  in  1732,  and  there  was  no  conference  here  or  occasion  for  it  in  1739." —Jouf" 
nal  of  Rev.  Tlomas  Smith,  p.  90. 


842 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


came.  They  were  all  well  clad,  seemed  friendly,  and  professed 
the  most  ardent  wishes  to  perpetuate  amicable  relations.  But 
they  brought  with  them,  floating  at  the  head  of  their  canoes,  a 
French  flag,  which  excited  some  suspicions  of  their  sincerity. 
It  is,  however,  not  improbable,  that  as  they  had  no  flag  of  their 
own,  and  as  the  English  always  appeared  under  their  flag,  they 
considered  this  merely  as  an  ornament,  which  they  regarded  as 
an  accompaniment  of  their  fringes  and  their  plumes.  If  they 
had  meditated  treachery,  they  certainly  had  too  much  shrewd- 
ness to  commence  operations  by  flaunting  an  obnoxious  banner 
in  the  eyes  of  those  whom  they  wished  to  deceive. 

The  Indians  encamped  on  Hog  Island.  Each  morning  they 
paddled,  in  their  fleet  of  canoes,  to  Munjoy's  Hill,  where  the 
council  was  held  under  an  immense  tent.  The  signal  for  the 
meeting  was  the  firing  of  a  gun  from  a  man-of-war  in  the  har- 
bor, and  the  raising  the  royal  Jack  at  the  maintop.  As  the 
English  objected  to  the  display  of  the  French  flag,  the  Indians 
laid  it  aside,  and  raised  an  English  banner  at  the  head  of  their 
leading  canoe.  A  renowned  Penobscot  chief,  by  the  name  of 
Loron,  was  the  principal  captain  and  speaker  of  the  Indians. 
In  accordance  with  their  custom,  they  brought  presents  of  furs 
as  pledges  of  the  sincerity  of  their  speech.  A  chief  by  the 
name  of  Tbxus  spoke  first.  Addressing  the  governor,  he 
said,  — 

"  It  is  God  who  has  the  overruling  power  over  all  things.  He  has  brought 
ns  here  at  this  time.  The  reason  of  our  coming  is  our  hearty  desire  for  love 
and  friendship.  As  a  token  of  our  being  glad  to  see  your  Excellency,  I 
shake  hands,  and  offer  these  furs  as  our  money." 

The  governor  urged  them  to  dismiss  their  French  religious 
teachers,  and  to  accept  English  missionaries  in  their  stead. 
I<oron  requested  a  little  time  to  consider  the  matter.  The  next 
day,  with  diplomatic  skill  which  would  have  honored  Talley- 
rand, he  replied,  — 

"  Friend,  we  have  been  thinking" of  what  your  Excellency  said  to  us  yes- 
terday. As  to  prayers,  it  was  mentioned  in  the  treaty,  that  there  should  be 
no  dispute  about  religion.  It  would  be  trifling  on  our  part  to  attempt  to 
answer  what  you  have  said  on  that  subject.     We  are  too  few  to  enter  upon 


THE  niaroRY  of  maine. 


343 


this  question,  which  is  a  w»»»"hty  matter.  There  are  other  tribes  to  be  con- 
sulted. When  we  have  ascertained  their  minds,  we  shall  be  bettei  able  to 
answer  you.  We  had  the  advice  of  the  other  tribes  with  regard  to  the 
peace:  we  therefore  think  it  proper  to  seelt  their  advice  in  this  aflaii."» 

The  interview  was  in  all  respects  cordial  and  friendly.  The 
governor  assured  them  of  his  good-will,  and  made  them  some 
valuable  presents.  At  the  close  of  the  council  they  partook 
together  of  a  public  dinner  in  the  tent. 

Gov.  Belcher,  after  a  stormy  administration  of  ten  years,  was 
succeeded  as  governor  of  Massachusetts  and  Maine,  by  William 
Shirley.  About  five  years  before  this,  in  1734,  the  town  of 
Windham  was  laid  out  and  settled  mainly  by  a  colony  from 
Marblehead,  Mass.  The  township  consisted  of  twenty-five 
thousand  five  hundred  acres  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Pre- 
Bumpscot  River.  Each  man  had  a  farm  of  a  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  There  were  also  sixty-three  compact  ten-acre 
lots  surveyed,  that  the  settlers,  for  the  advantage  of  protection, 
schools,  and  religious  privileges,  might  dwell  in  something  like  a 
village." 

In  the  year  1741,  the  renowned  George  Whitefield  visited 
Maine.  He  went  to  York,  Wells,  Biddeford,  Scarborough,  Fal- 
mouth, and  North  Yarmouth,  preaching  the  gospel  of  salvation 
through  faith  in  an  atoning  Saviour,  with  wonderful  power. 
Large  numbers  were  influenced  to  commence  a  new  and  better 
life.  He  >"^  indefatigable  in  his  labors,  having  been  known  to 
preach  sixtu^n  times,  and  to  travel  over  those  rough  roads  a 
hundred  and  seventy  miles,  in  a  single  week. 

.  Gov.  Shirley  was  an  Englishman  by  birth,  and  a  lawyer  by 
profession.  He  had  resided  in  Maine  six  or  seven  years,  and 
had  thus  become  acquainted  with  the  manners  of  the  people. 
His  ability  and  integrity  had  secured  their  confidence.  England 
and  Spain  were  then  fighting  each  other.  By  the  promise  of 
large  pay  and  a  share  in  the  booty,  between  five  and  six  hun- 
dred men  were  recruited  from  the  Province  of  Maine,  for  an 

»  Journal  of  Rev.  Thomas  Smith,  p.  7<5.  Mr.  Smith  was  at  that  time  the  honored 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Falmouth.  For  many  years  be  kept  a  daily  record  of 
passing  events. 

«  History  of  WlmUuira,  by  Thomas  Laurens  Smith,  p.  51. 


844 


Tne  niaroRY  of  maine. 


expedition  to  Cuba.    But  few  of  them  ever  saw  their  hornet 

again.* 

During  this  conflict  the  British  commenced  impretting  inhab- 
itants of  Maine,  and  forcing  them  on  board  their  men-of-war. 
This  infamous  course,  persisted  in,  led  to  the  war  of  1812.  The 
continued  encroachments  of  the  settlements  in  Maine  led  many 
Indians  of  the  diminishing  tribes  of  the  Saco,  the  Androscog- 
gin, and  the  Kennebec,  to  withdraw  to  the  unbroken  forests  of 
Canada,  where  they  were  sure  of  a  cordial  welcome  from  the 
French  authorities. 

This  excited  alarm  in  Boston.  Tlie  governor,  with  a  large 
eacort  from  both  legislative  branches,  repaired  to  St.  George's, 
to  hold  a  council  with  the  sagamores  of  the  Etechemin  tribes. 
These  Indians,  as  has  been  mentioned,  occupied  the  country 
between  the  Penobscot  and  the  St.  ,Tohn,  both  inclusive.  The 
Indians  were  prompt  in  their  attendance.  They  came  in  a  large 
fleet  of  canoes,  and  entered  the  harbor,  not  with  the  French, 
but  with  the  British  flag  at  the  head  of  their  fleet.  This  would 
seem  to  indicate  that  the  French  flag,  under  which  they  had 
previously  entered  the  harbor  at  Falmouth,  was  intended  merely 
as  an  ornament,  not  as  a  menace.  The  meeting  was  harmoni- 
oup.  Both  parties  were  exceedingly  anxious  for  peace.  But 
the  English  wanted,  and  felt  that  they  must  have,  the  lands  of 
the  Indians.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Indians  clung  tenaciously 
to  the  homes  of  their  fathers ;  and  yet  they  despairingly  felt 
that  influences,  quite  beyond  their  control,  were  each  year  driv- 
ing them  farther  away  from  their  ancient  hunting  grounds,  and 
that,  ere  long,  all  their  possessions  would  pass  into  the  hands 
of  strangers. 

This  was  evident  alike  to  both  parties.  Agitating  questions 
which  could  lead  to  no  good  results  were  avoided.  The  time 
was  passed  in  the  interchange  of  courtesies  ;  and  the  governor 
made  valuable  presents  to  the  Indians,  of  powder  and  shot,  and 
of  other  articles  which  had  become  to  them  necessaries  of  life. 
It  was  deemed  very  important  to  prevent  their  applying  to  the 
French  for  such  purchases. 

•  Summary  of  British  Settlements  in  North  America,  hy  William  Donglass, 
TOl.  1  p.  654. 


TnS  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


845 


On  this  excursion  the  governor  made  a  careful  examination 
of  the  country.  In  hiu  address  to  the  legislature,  on  his  leturn, 
he  said. — 

'*  The  inexhaustible  supplies  of  wood  and  lumber,  and  the  several  kinds 
and  great  quantities  of  naval  stores  wliich  this  region  is  capable  of  produ- 
oing,  no  less  than  the  navigable  rivers,  the  numerous  harbors,  and  good  soil 
it  possesses,  render  it  highly  deserving  tlie  encouragement  and  protection  of 
government." 

By  the  census  of  1743,  it  appeared  that  tliere  were  in  Maine 
eleven  towns,  and  a  probable  population  of  twelve  thbusand 
inhabitants.  The  poor  Indians  were  fast  dwindling  away  by 
death  and  by  emigration  to  Canada. 

The  Spanish  war  raging  in  Europe  drew  France  into  an 
alliance  with  Spain,  against  Great  Britain.^  This,  of  course, 
led  to  a  conflict  between  the  French  and  English  colonists  on 
these  shores.  Each  party  exerted  its  utmost  endeavors  to 
engage  the  Indiana  as  allies.  The  French,  as  was  to  have 
been  expected,  were  the  more  successful.  Again  horrid  war 
recommenced  its  ravages  of  shrieks,  misery,  blood,  and  death. 
The  war  was  commenced  by  an  attack  made  by  the  French 
and  Indians  upon  an  English  settlement  at  Cansea",  in  Nova 
Scotia.  The  French  governor  of  Cape  Breton  sent  several 
armed  vessels,  with  about  nine  hundred  men,  and  took  possession 
of  the  island.  Soon  after,  three  hundred  Indians,  led,  it  is  said, 
by  a  French  missionary,  M.  Luttre,  attacked  Annapolis.  They 
laid  siege  to  the  place  ;  but,  re-enforcements  arriving  from  Bos- 
ton, they  were  compelled  to  retire. 

"War  is  the  most  expensive  of  all  earthly  employments.  New 
forts  were  reared,  and  the  old  ones  strengthened.  A  hundred 
and  twenty-one  men  wl''  )  sent  to  be  distributed  to  the  garrisons 
at  Fort  George,  Pemaij[uit',  Richmond,  Brunswick,  and  Saco. 
Three  hundred  men  were  oi^amzed  into  scouts,  which  parties, 
ever  on  the  move,  were  generally  led  by  friendly  Indian  guides. 

1  This  famous  war  for  the  Austrian  succession,  commenced  by  Frederick  IL  of 
Prussia,  not  only  drew  all  Europe  into  it3  vortex,  but  also  led  French  Canadians 
and  Engliah  colonists  and  savage  Indians  to  cutting  each  other'^  throats,  who  had 
not  the  slightest  idea  of  what  they  were  fighting  for. 


846 


THE  niaroRY  of  maine. 


Ninety-six  barrels  of  gunpowder  were  sent  to  be  distributed 
among  the  towns. 

A  delegation  waa  appointed  by  the  governor  to  visit  St. 
George,  and  ascertain  the  feelings  of  the  Penobscot  Indians. 
They  met  many  of  the  chiefs  in  council,  and  received  from 
them  the  assurance  of  their  continued  desire  for  peace.  It  waa 
decided  to  commence  a  vigorous  war  against  the  Indiana  of 
Nova  Scotia.  The  tribes  residing  in  Maine  were  forbidden,  by 
the  government  of  Massachusetts,  from  holding  any  intercourse 
with  the  tribes  east  of  Passamaquoddy  Bay.  A  hundred  pounda 
was  offered  for  the  scalp  of  every  male  Indian  over  twelve  years 
of  age.  Fifty  pounds  was  offered  for  that  of  a  child  younger 
than  twpl"e  or  for  that  of  a  woman.* 

The  1...  ,8  Btill  continued  peaceful.  But  a  vagabond  band 
of  white  men  fell  upon  an  unoffending  band  of  Indians  on  the 
eastern  side  of  St.  George's  River,  killing  one,  and  severely 
wounding  others.  The  government  did  all  in  its  power  to  atone 
for  this  crime.  Forty  pounds  in  money,  a  blanket,  and  many 
other  articles  were  given  to  the  widow.  The  wounded  were 
furnished  with  medical  aid,  and  were  carefully  conveyed  \  .>  their 
homes  on  the  Penobscot. 

According  to  the  Dummer  treaty,  the  chiefs  engaged  to  join 
fifty  of  their  men  to  every  band  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  of  the 
English,  raised  to  subdue  any  refractory  Indians  who  might 
attempt  o  disturb  the  peace.  To  test  the  Indians,  the  English 
now  de...anded  that  the  sagamores  should  furnish  their  quota 
of  warriors  to  march  against  the  tribes  in  Nova  Scotia.  This 
demand  was  made  with  the  not  very  courteous  menace,  that,  if 
it  wore  not  complied  with  within  forty  days,  the  government 
of  Massachusetts  would  declare  war  against  the  Indians  of 
Maine. 

The  sagamores  were  in  great  perplexity  and  distress.  Several 
councils  were  held,  and  the  subject  was  earnestly  discussed. 
The  result  was,  that  in  January  they  sent  an  express  to  Boston 
to  inform  the  government  that  they  found  it  impossible  to 
induce  their  young  men  to  take  up  arms  against  their  brother 
Indians  of  the  St.  John. 


1  Snniniary,  by  Douglass,  p.  320;  WilHamson,  vol.  11.  p.  218. 


THE  BIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


847 


For  canning  on  the  war  against  tbo  French  and  their  allied 
Indians,  two  regiments  were  raised  in  Maine.  One,  froi>  the 
vicinity  of  Kittery,  consisted  of  fifteen  hundred  and  sixty-five- 
men,  under  Col.  William  Pepperell ;  the  other,  of  twelve  hun- 
dred and  ninety  men,  was  formed  from  the  towns  adjoining- 
Falmouth,  and  was  commanded  by  Col.  Samuel  Waldo. 

Louisburg,  upon  the  island  of  Cape  Breton,  was  one  of  the 
most  important  and  best  fortified  of  the  posts  of  the  French. 
With  its  ramparts,  its  ditches,  its  batteries,  one  of  them  mount- 
ing twentv-eight  forty-two  pounders,  it  was  justly  considered 
the  Gibra  ir  of  America.  The  labor  of  twtnty-five  years  had 
been  expended  upon  these  fortifications,  and  they  had  cost  the 
French  crown  thirty  million  livres.*  It  would  seem  that  all  the 
English  colonies  embarked  with  great  enthusiasm  in  the  enter- 
prise oi  making  the  conquest  of  Louisbiug.'  Col.  Pepperell^ 
with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  was  first  in  command. 
Though  trained  to  war,  he  was  a  devout  man.  He  applied  to 
Rev.  Mr,  Whitefield,  then  preaching  in  Maine,  for  his  opinion 
of  the  enterprise.     He  replied,  — 

"  The  scheme  is  not  very  full  of  encouragement.  The  eyes  of  ^ii  will  be- 
upon  you.  Should  you  not  meet  with  success,  the  widows  and  orp'  los  will 
utUir  complaints.  Should  you  be  successful,  many  will  look  upon  you  with 
envy,  and  endeavor  to  eclipse  your  glory.  You  ought,  therefore^  to  go  with 
a  •  single  eye ; '  then  you  will  receive  strength  proportioned  to  your  neces- 
sities." 

Mr.  Whitefield,  at  the  earnest  suggestion  of  Col.  Pepperell, 
gave  him  a  motto  for  his  flag.  It  was  "Nil  desperandum, 
Chiisto  duce."  ^  An  army  of  four  thousand  men  was  embarked 
in  a  fleet  of  thirteen  vessels,  besides  transports  and  store-ships. 
The  vessels  carried  two  hundred  guns.  On  the  24th  of 
March,  1745,  the  squadron  sailed.  Beiore  casting  anchor  in 
the  waters  of  Louisburg,  the  fleet  was  joined  by  ten  other 
British  ships  of  war,  mounting  four  hundred  and  ninety  guns. 

1  Haliburton'8  History  of  Nova  Sootia,  vol.  i.  pp.  98-112. 

3  "All  the  talk  is  about  the  expedition  to  LouiaburK.  There  Ls  a  niarvelioua 
zeal  and  conourrence  through  tbe  '  /hole  country  with  respect  to  it.  Such  aa  the 
like  wan  never  seen  in  this  part  of  the  world."  —Smith's  Journal,  p.  IIG;  date  Feb. 
11, 1745. 

•  Ivo^^iiug  is  to  be  despaired  of,  Christ  being  the  leader. 


848 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Early  in  the  morning  of  the  30th  of  April,  the  squadton 
appeared  before  the  doomed  city.  The  men,  with  the  heavy 
guns  and  ammunition,  were  landed  with  scarcely  any  opposition. 
The  assault  and  the  defence  were  conducted  with  like  bravery 
and  skill.  For  forty-four  days  the  battle  raged,  mih.  scarcely  a 
moment's  intermission.  We  have  no  space  here  to  enter  into 
its  details.  On  the  15th  of  June,  the  French  capitulated,  and 
Louisbm-g  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  There  were 
four  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty  inhabitants  within  the 
defences.  Of  these,  two  thousand  were  able  to  bear  arms. 
According  to  the  terms  of  the  capitulation,  they  were  trans- 
ported to  France,  where,  in  the  extreme  of  impoverishment, 
they  were  left  to  struggle  against  life's  dire  adversities. 

Nine  thousand  cannon-balls  and  six  hundred  bombs  were 
thrown  into  the  city  before  the  surrender.  During  the  conflict, 
the  En^lsh  lost  a  hundred  and  thirty  men,  and  the  French 
three  hundred.  It  now  seemed  to  be  inevitable  that  there  was 
to  be  a  fifth  Indian  war.  The  refusal  of  the  Indians  of  Maine 
to  march  against  their  brethren  in  Nova  Scotia  was  considered, 
by  the  English,  as  indicative  of  hostile  intentions,  and  almost 
equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  hostilities. 

No  more  trading-masters  were  appointed,  and  trade  with  the 
Indians  ceased.  Thus  they  were  constrained  to  resort  to  the 
French  for  their  supplies.  The  English  made  vigorous  prepara- 
tions for  the  conflict.  Block-houses  were  built,  ramparts  were 
thrown  up ;  parties  were  organized  as  scouts,  to  be  continually 
perambulating  the  country ;  and  almost  every  able-bodied  man 
was  converted  into  a  soldier.  The  English  were  strong ;  the 
Indians  were  weak.  The  Indians  had  nothing  to  hope  for  from 
the  war.  The  English,  who  could  have  no  doubt  of  success  in 
contending  against  so  feeble  a  foe,  could  add  to  their  territorial 
possessions  vast  regions  of  fertile  lands  which  they  greatly 
coveted. 

On  the  23d  of  August,  1745,  the  government  of  Massachu- 
setts declared  war  against  all  the  eastern  tribes  of  Maine  with- 
out exception.      Large  bounties  were  offered  for  captives  or 
scalps.*    It  would  seem  that  the  Indians  were  entirely  unpre- 
1  Williamson;  p,  240;  Smith's  Journal,  p.  120. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


84» 


pared  for  this  outbreak.    In  terror  they  abandoned  their  homes 
to  seek  the  protection  of  the  French.    Rev.  Mr.  Smith,  of  Fal- 
mouth, in  his  valuable  Journal,  writes,  under  date  of  Oct.  2, 
1745,  that  not  an  Indian  had  been  seen  or  heard  of  on  the 
eastern  frontier,  for  nearly  a  month.     He  says,  that,  immediately 
upon  the  announcement  of  hostilities,  they  fled  away  to  Canada. 
It  was  a  miserable  war.    There  was  no  such  thing  as  a  battle 
betv,  een  the  English  and  the  Indians.     There  was  no  array  of 
forces  against  each  other.     Scouting  parties  of  the  English 
ranged  the  woods,  hunting  Indians,  as  they  would  hunt  wolves 
or  bears.    Prowling  bands  of  savages  killed  cattle  and  swine, 
occasionally  burned  a  house,  and  shot  at  the  white  men  when- 
ever they  could  get  a  chance  to  do  so  unseen.    To  describe 
these  events  would  only  be  to  repeat  what  has  already  been 
recorded.    But  terror  reigned  in  every  lonely  farmhouse.    Every 
few  days  the  tidings  would  be  heard  of  some  man  shot,  or  some 
family  massacred.    These  reports  were  otLen  greatly  exagge- 
rated.   The  great  desire  of  the  English  was  to  capture  Canada. 
Mr.  Williamson  writes, — 

"  In  none  of  the  Indian  wars  were  the  savages  more  subtle  and  inveterate, 
yet  in  none  less  cruel.  They  despaired  of  laying  waste  the  country,  and 
expellmg  the  inhabitants.  They  rather  sought  to  satiate  their  revenue  upon 
particular  individuals  or  families;  to  take  captives  and  scalps,  for  the  sake 
of  the  price  or  premium  paid  them  therefor  by  the  French,  and  to  satisfy 
their  wants  by  the  plunder  of  houses  or  slaughter  of  cattle;  a  cow  or  an  ox 
being  frequently  killed  by  them,  and  nothing  taken  but  the  tongue."  * 

The  English  trained  furious  dogs  to  chase  the  Indians,  and  to 
tear  them  down,  women  and  children,  with  bloody  fangs. 
Orders  were  issued  for  the  organization  of  troops  to  drive  all 
the  Indians  and  the  French  settlers  out  of  Nova  Scotia.^  Amidst 
these  horrors,  it  is  pleasant  to  record  an  occasional  act  of  human- 
ity. A  few  Indians,  by  stratagem,  captured  Capt.  Jonathan 
Williamson,  of  Wiscasset.  Fe  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
men  in  the  settlement.  In  his  capture  they  were  careful  not  to 
wound  him.  Two  others,  whom  they  might  have  killed,  they 
allowed  to  escape.    He  inquired  the  reasons  for  this  conduct. 


1  vviiUamson,  vuLiL  p.  244. 


s  'i^^jiHanison,  vol.  iL  p.  247. 


350 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


"  We  have  been  requested,"  they  said,  "  by  the  governor  of 
Quebec,  to  secure  an  intelligent  prisoner,  who  is  capable  of 
giving  information  respecting  the  plans  of  the  English." 

In  conducting  him  through  the  wilderness  to  Quebec,  they 
treated  him  with  the  utmost  kindness,  liberally  sharing  with  him 
all  the  provisions  they  could  procure.*  Winter  came,  with 
unusual  severity,  and  great  depth  of  snow.  Military  expeditions 
had  engrossed  the  energies  of  the  people.  There  was  almost  a 
famine.  The  whole  civilized  world  was  thrown  into  commotion 
by  this  miserable  war,  commenced  by  that  scourge  of  humanity, 
Frederick  of  Prussia.  Hundreds  of  thousands  perished  on  the 
battle-field  and  in  the  gloomy  hospital.  More  homes  were  des- 
olated, and  widows  and  orphans  made,  than  can  be  numbered. 
There  was  misery  everywhere,  happiness  nowhere;  and  all 
this  merely  to  decide  whether  one  individual  or  another  should 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  Austria.  The  imagination  could  scarcely 
create  a  more  astonishing  record  of  folly  and  of  crime,  than  the 
history  of  the  human  race  presents. 

The  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  signed  Oct.  7,  1748,  gave 
peace  to  the  world.  Several  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Maine  Indiana 
met  the  governor  in  the  council  chamber  at  Boston,  on  the  23d 
of  June,  1749.  There  was  quite  a  numerous  delegation,  rep- 
resenting mainly  the  Kennebec  and  the  Penobscot  tribes.  One 
of  the  chiefs,  addressing  the  governor,  said,  — 

"  We  speak  from  our  hearts  the  words  of  sincerity  and  truth.  We  have 
brought  with  us  other  credentials  than  our  own  hearts.  These  brothers 
present  know  that  the  voice  of  peace  makes  the  Indians  everywhere  smile 
and  rejoice."  ' 

A  general  council  of  the  chiefs  to  meet  the  Massachusetts 
commissioners  was  appointed  to  assemble  in  Falmouth.  The 
commissioners,  five  or  six  in  number,  were  attended  by  a  mil- 
itary guard  of  about  fifty  men.  We  know  not  how  many 
Indians  attended.  Nineteen  chiefs  signed  the  treaty  of  peace. 
It  was  essentially  the  same  as  the  "  Dummer  Treaty."  It  was 
called  the  "  Submission  and  Agreement "  of  the  tribes. 

When  such  a  storm  has  been  raging  over  life's  ocean,  it  takes 


\  wilUarasoQ,  vol.  ii  p.  2i>3. 


a  wiUiomsoa,  vol.  ii.  p.  2G8. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


851 


some  time  for  the  billows  to  subside.  Vagabond  white  men 
continued  to  shoot  the  Indians.  In  vain  the  natives  appealed 
to  the  legal  tribunals  for  redress.  "  Certain  it  is,  that  whenever 
a  white  person  was  tried  for  killing  an  Indian,  even  in  times  of 
profound  peace,  he  was  invariably  acquitted,  it  being  impossible 
to  impanel  a  jury  on  which  there  were  not  some  who  had 
"suffered  by  the  Indians,  either  in  their  persons,  families,  or 
estates." ' 

Predatory  bands  of  savages  from  Canada,  accustomed  to 
plunder,  continued  for  a  time  their  banditti  excursions,  killing, 
plundering,  and  burning.  "But  it  was  manifest  that  the  in- 
stances of  mischief  were  principally  acts  of  mere  revenge  com- 
mitted by  stragglers  and  renegadoes,  unencouraged  probably 
by  any  tribe.  The  sagamores  of  Penobscot,  and  even  of  Nor- 
ridgewock,  declared  that  they  had  no  share  in  the  late  rupture, 
and  expressed  strong  desires  of  immediately  renewing  their 
former  trade  and  connections  with  the  English."* 

The  intelligent  Indians  could  not  look  upon  the  continued 
encroachments  of  the  English  without  anxiety.  Though  con- 
scious that  this  could  not  be  prevented  by  any  force  of  arms 
which  they  could  wield,  they  made  frequent  and  earnest  appeals 
to  the  government,  in  vindication  of  what  they  deemed  their 
rights.  Permanent  and  steadily  increasing  settlements  were 
established  at  Woolwich,  Edgecomb,  Bath,  Dresden,  Bowdoin- 
ham,  Topsham,  and  many  other  places.  Strong  fortifications 
were  arising  at  many  important  points. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  whole  population  of  Maine,  in  1744, 
was  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand.'*  Falmouth  was  the  largest 
town  in  the  Province.  The  hunting  grounds  and  fishing  sites 
of  the  natives  were  fast  passing  from  them.  Soon  after  this, 
the  English  claimed  all  the  land  from  the  Kennebec  River  east 
to  the  Sheepscot,  and  as  far  up  the  Kennebec  as  Norridgewock. 
They  were  taking  possession  of  the  territory,  and  strengthen- 
ing themselves  in  it.  Gov.  Shirley,  with  several  commissioners, 
met  a  number  of  the  sagamores  at  Fort  Richmond.  There  is 
something  pitiable  in  the  tone  of  the  chief  Indian  speaker  on 
this  occasion.    He  said,  — 


WillLamsoa,  voL  il  p.  'Zi% 


=  Smith'a  journal,  p.  IsT. 


852 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


■ 


«'  Here  is  a  river  which  belongs  to  us.  You  have  lately  built  a  new  gar- 
rison here.  We  now  only  ask  that  you  will  be  contented  to  go  no  farther 
up  the  river  than  this  fort.  We  live  wholly  by  this  land,  and  live  but  poorly. 
The  Penobscot  Indians  hunt  on  one  side  of  us,  and  the  Canada  Indians  on 
the  other.  Therefore  do  not  turn  us  off  this  land.  We  are  willing  that  you 
should  hold  possession  of  all  the  lands  from  this  fort  downward  to  the  sea." 

The  governor  exhibited  deeds,  signed  by  Indian  chiefs,  in 
proof  that  the  English  had  purchased  the  lands.  Ongewasgone 
replied,  and  without  doubt  very  truthfully,  — 

«« I  am  an  old  man,  and  yet  I  never  heard  any  of  my  ancestors  say  that 
these  lands  were  sold.  We  do  not  think  that  these  deeds  are  false;  but  we 
apprehend  that  you  got  the  Indians  drunk,  and  so  took  advantage  of  them, 
when  you  bought  the  lands." 

At  the  close  of  this  conference  one  of  the  chiefs  said,  "  I 
would  add  one  word  more.  Our  young  men  are  very  apt  to 
get  drunk.  We  entreat  you  to  give  orders  to  Capt.  Lithgow, 
not  to  let  any  one  of  them  have  any  more  rum  than  one  quart 
in  two  days."  ^ 

The  question  as  to  the  title  to  the  lands,  the  English  decided 
in  their  own  favor,  declaring  that  they  had  been  deeded  to  them 
by  the  Indians.  Of  course  the  Indians  felt  deeply  aggrieved. 
The  first  town  incorporated,  within  what  was  called  the  territory 
of  Sagadahoc,  was  Newcastle,  so  named  from  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle, who  was  secretary  of  the  king,  and  was  deemed  friendly 
to  the  colonies. 

There  were  increasing  dissatisfaction  and  murmurs  with  in- 
dividual Indians.  It  was  also  asserted  that  the  French  were 
endeavoring  to  incite  them  to  renew  hostilities.  The  most  con- 
venient route  from  Quebec  to  the  eastern  provinces  of  Maine, 
was  to  follow  up  the  Chaudidre  about  a  hundred  miles,  then  to 
cross  the  unbroken  wildernes"  through  an  Indian  trail,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  fifty  miles,  to  the  Kennebec,  near  the  mouth  of 
Dead  River.  This  point  was  about  fifty  miles  above  the  Indian 
settlement  at  Norridgewock.  It  was  apprehended  that  the 
Indians  far  away  upon  these  upper  waters  of  the  river,  gather- 
ing from  Maine  and  Canada,  and  aided  by  the  French,  might 

1    T.«-.«»i  ^«  4-Va  l^A^r   a^li/\Tnaa  flnnHli    nn   IKR.  liS4. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


35S 


establish  a  general  rendezvous,  and  make  raids  upon  the  lower 
setuements.  No  s'^h  attempt  was,  however,  undertaken,  and 
there  is  no  evidence  that  such  was  ever  contemplated.  Subse- 
quent events  render  it  much  more  probable  that  the  rumor  was 
started  by  designing  men,  as  an  excuse  for  taking  possession  of 
the  lands  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  river,  by  erecting  forts. 

The  governor  ordered  six  companies  to  be  organized  ready  to 
march  at  the  shortest  notice.  He  also  issued  the  severe  com- 
mand, that,  should  any  Indians  of  Norridgewock  be  guilty  of 
any  mischief,  the  troops  should  advance  upon  their  village, 
utterly  destroy  it,  and  either  kill  or  capture  every  member  of 
the  tribe.*  The  government  ordered  a  very  strong  fort  to  be 
built  at  Teconnet,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Kennebec,  at  the 
junction  between  that  river  and  the  Sebasticook.  This  was 
making  an  advance  from  Fort  Richmond,  thirty-five  miles  up 
the  river,  into  the  territory  which  the  Indians  claimed  as  their 
own,  and  from  which  they  had  so  earnestly  entreated  that  they 
might  not  be  driven.  This  fort  was  garrisoned  by  eight  hun- 
dred men.  In  anticipation  of  another  war  with  the  French  and 
Indians,  an  alliance  was  formed  by  the  English  with  the 
Mohawks,  the  fiercest  warriors  on  the  continent. 

The  great  and  terrible  struggle  was  approaching  between  the 
two  most  powerful  kingdoms  on  the  globe,  France  and  England, 
for  the  possession  of  this  continent.  France  was  beginning  to 
rear  her  forts  from  the  Lakes  to  New  Orleans,  intending  to  hold 
control  of  the  majestic  valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi, 
and  to  shut  up  the  English  upon  the  narrow  border  east  of  the 
Alleghanies.  England  was  resolved  to  drive  the  French  from 
Canada,  and  to  take  possession  of  the  whole  country.  In  the 
awful  conflict  which  ensued,  not  only  the  poor  Indians  were 
doomed  to  be  crushed,  but  thousands  of  humble  Europe'  a  emi- 
grants suffered  woes  the  very  recital  of  which  tortures  the  soul. 

1  History  of  Maine,  by  William  Willlaiason,  voL  IL  p.  297. 
S8 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE  OLD  PBBNOH  WAE,   AND  THE  WAR  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

COMMENCED. 

The  Upper  Kennebec  explored-New  Forts  built- War  with  the  todlans 
Renewed  -  English  Atrocities  -  War  between  France  and  England  -  Feeble- 
Ss8  of  the  Indians-Incorporation  of  Towns-Efforts  of  England  to  En- 
slave Amerlca-The  Stamp  Act-The  Tea  Tax-Battleof  I^ex^n^on- 
Patrlotism  of  the  People  of  Maine -Scenes  In  Falmouth -Visit  of  the 
British  Sloop-of-War- Capture  of  Capt.  Mowatt-Hls  Threats. 

FIVE  hundred  troops  were  sent  up  the  Kennebec  River  to 
explore  the  carrying-places  between  that  river  and  the 
Chaudi^re.  It  was  ascertained  that  no  fort  had  been  attempted 
in  that  region,  by  either  the  French  or  the  Indians.  The  site 
selected  by  the  English  for  the  new  fort  was  beautiful.  It  was 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  below  Teconnet  Falls.  It  was  built  of 
solid  timber,  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  sufficiently  capacious  to 
accommodate  a  garrison  of  four  hundred  men.  The  name  given 
this  structure  was  Fort  Halifax.  ,    .,    r   ^u 

Two  other  forts,  quite  simUar  in  strength^  were  built  farther 
down  the  river,  each  of  them  on  the  eastern  side.  One  was  at 
Oashnoc,!  now  Augusta,  near  the  eastern  end  of  the  present 
bridge.  They  gave  it  the  name  of  Fort  Western.  The  other 
was  about  a  raUe  above  the  northern  end  of  Swan  Islaml.  It 
was  called  Fort  Shirley.^  From  Fort  Western  to  Fort  Halifax 
was  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles,  through  a  pathless  and  umn- 
habited  wilderness.  The  governor  ordered  a  road  to  be  cut 
through  the  forest  suitable  for  wheel  carriages.    Arrangements 

1  This  name  la  sometimes  spelled  Cushenoc. 

a  A3  this  was  situated  to  the  plantation  of  Frankfort,  It  was  somettaies  caUed 

Fort  Frankfort. 

3M 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


855 


were  also  made,  so  that  an  express  might  be  sent,  by  means  of 
whale-boats  and  videttes,  from  Falmouth  to  Fort  Halifax,  in 
twenty-four  hours. 

On  the  6th  of  November,  1754,  couriers  reached  Ffl,lmouth 
with  the  tidings  that  a  band  of  Indians  had  assailed  some  men 
from  the  garrison  of  Fort  Halifax,  who  were  cutting  timber, 
and  killed  one  man,  and  carried  away  four  others  as  captives. 
Also  a  rumor  had  reached  the  fort,  that  five  hundred  French 
and  Indians  were  about  to  march  from  Quebec  to  make  an 
attack  upon  the  fort.  A  re-enforcement  of  a  hundred  men  was 
immediately  sent  to  strengthen  the  garrison.  Six  companies  of 
minute-men,  in  Maine,  were  ordered  to  be  ready  to  march  at 
the  shortest  notice. 

It  soon  appeared  that  this  hostile  outbreak  was  perpetrated 
by  the  Canada  Indians  of  St.  Frangois.*  Public  opinion  was 
greatly  aroused  against  these  Indians.  Many  demanded  that 
V  they  should  be  utterly  exterminated.  A  hundred  pounds  was 
offered  by  the  General  Court,  for  the  scalp  of  any  one  of  them, 
and  ten  pounds  more  for  an  Indian  taken  alive.  There  were 
mutual  recriminations  and  retaliations  by  which  France  and 
England  gradually  drifted  into  the  deplorable  "  French  war," 
without  war  having  been  formally  declared  by  either  party. 
Awful  tragedies  ensued,  which  could  scarcely  have  been  exceeded 
in  Pandemonium. 

We  have  no  space  here  to  enter  into  the  details  of  the  conflict. 
We  can  only  briefly  allude  to  the  events  which  transpired  in 
Maine.  The  most  awful  scenes  of  distress  were  witnessed. 
The  civilized  combatants,  in  their  rage,  proved  that  savages 
could  not  exceed  them  in  cruelty.  Several  months  lapsed  before 
there  were  any  acts  of  violence  in  Maine.    It  is  very  evident 


1  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  governor  of  Canada  had  Invited  the  fragments 
of  tribes,  broken  by  war,  to  settle  on  lauds  which  he  hail  assigned  to  them  on  the 
two  small  tributaries  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  Besancourt  and  St.  Francois.  Here  they 
were  aided  in  building  their  houses.  A  church  and  a  parsonage  were  erected, 
and  a  missionary  and  interpreter  furnished  them.  They  were  called  the  St.  Fran- 
fois  Indians,  and  were,  of  course,  entirely  devoted  to  the  French,  who  had  treated 
them  with  such  brotherly  kindness.— TTt/^ianuon,  vol.  ii.  p.  40;  Jeffrey's  History  of 
the  French  Dominions,  p.  9;  TopograpMeal  J)«$cr^tion  qf  Canada,  by  Joseph  Bon- 
ckette,  p.  67. 

23 


856 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


that  the  Indians  there  were  exceedingly  reluctant  to  be  drawn 
into  the  war.  During  the  summer  of  1765,  five  or  six  men,  in 
different  localities,  were  shot,  several  houses  were  burned,  and 
eight  men  were  carried  in  captivity  to  Canada.  It  is  probable 
that  all  this  was  done  by  straggling  bands  from  Canada ;  still 
on  the  11th  of  June,  1754,  the  General  Court,  in  retaliation  for 
these  acts,  declared  war  against  all  the  Indians  in  Maine,  except- 
ing thoso  on  the  Penobscot.  Two  hundred  pounds  were  offered 
to  volunteers  for  every  Indian  scalp.  It  was  known  that  the 
feeble  and  disheartened  Indians  could  make  no  show  of  battle. 
They  were  to  be  hunted  down  like  bears  and  wolves.  The 
Indians  were  struck  with  dismay.  "  They  retired  back,"  writes 
Mr.  Williamson ;  "  and  we  hear,  after  tjiis,  of  no  more  mischief 
perpetrated  by  them  this  season,  on  our  frontiers."  ^ 

As  a  general  rule,  the  English  settlers  hated  the  Indians,  and 
were  anxious  to  get  entirely  rid  of  them.  They  made  but  little 
distinction  between  friends  and  enemies.  If  a  Canadian  Indian ' 
engaged  in  any  act  of  aggression,  the  English  were  prompt  to 
take  vengeance  upon  any  Indians  tliey  might  chance  to  meet, 
no  matter  how  inoffensive  in  conduct  or  how  friendly  in  heart. 

Capt.  James  Cargill,  of  Newcastle,  was  commissioned  to  raise 
a  scouting  company.  He  chanced  to  meet  a  band  of  Indian 
hunters,  peaceful  men,  who  had  no  thought  of  any  hostile  act. 
He  shot  down  twelve,  and  took  their  scalps.  They  were  worth 
to  him  and  his  party  two  thousand  four  hundred  pounds.  Soon 
after  they  met  a  friendly  Indian  woman,  Margaret ;  she  was 
well  known,  and  was  returning  from  a  visit  to  the  garrison,  with 
her  babe  in  her  arms.  They  shot  her  down.  With  dying  breath 
she  entreated  them  to  protect  her  child.  They  killed  the  babe 
before  its  mother's  eyes.' 

Cargill  was  apprehended  for  murder:  as  usual,  no  verdict 
could  be  found  against  him,  though  there  was  no  denial  of 
the  facts ;  but  there  were  many  good  men  whose  hearts  were 
filled  with  grief  by  such  atrocities.  The  General  Court  offered 
all  the  Indians  who  would  enlist  in  the  public  service,  the  same 
pay  as  other  soldiers  had.    Nine  of  the  chiefs  were  invited  into 

»  Wmiarason,  vol,  11.  p.  312. 

«  Eaton's  IsarratiTe,  pp.  12, 13,  as  quoted  by  Hr.  "Wiiiiainiwn,  vol.  iL  p.  315. 


TBB  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


857 


St.  George's  Fort  to  confer  upon  this  matter.  They  were  ftU 
seized  as  prisoners,  and  were  assured  that  they  would  not  be 
liberated  until  they  enlisted.  Dreadful  was  their  embarraKS- 
ment.  The  Canadian  Indians  were  their  friends  and  brethren. 
The  French  had  ever  treated  them  with  the  utmost  kindness; 
and  yet  they  were  informed,  that,  unless  they  would  enlist  to 
fight  these  their  friends,  a  war  of  extermination  would  bo  waged 
against  them.  On  the  5th  of  November  war  was  declared 
against  this  Penobscot  tribe,  and  large  premiums  were  offered 
for  their  scalps.^ 

It  was  not  until  June,  1756,  that  England  published  a  declar- 
ation of  war  against  France.  Gov.  Shirley,  whose  administra- 
tion had  lasted  sixteen  years,  became  very  unpopular,  and  was 
withdrawn.  Several  months  passed  before  a  successor  was  ap- 
pointed. The  Indians,  goaded  to  desperation,  on  the  24th  of 
March,  1756,  killed  two  men  and  wounded  a  third,  near  Fort 
George's.  On  the  8d  of  May  one  man  was  shot  in  Harpswell, 
and  two  escaped  by  flight.  There  were  but  three  Indians,  who, 
in  ambush,  attacked  these  three  well-armed  white  men.  They 
carried  their  captive  to  Canada,  where,  in  about  a  year,  he 
obtained  his  liberty.  On  the  14th  of  May  two  men,  in  Wind- 
ham, were  shot  and  scalped  by  a  party  of  Indians  in  an.bush. 
One  Indian  was  shot  and  another  wounded.  At  the  head  of 
Arrowsio  Island,  in  Georgetown,  Mr.  Preble  and  his  wife  were 
killed,  as  they  were  planting  corn,  and  their  three  children  were 
carried  to  Canada. 

The  Indians  treated  these  little  orphans  with  great  tenderness, 
carrying  them  upon  their  backs  when  they  were  fatigued,  and 
sharing  liberally  their  food  with  them.  These  children  became 
so  much  attached  to  their  Indian  parents  that  they  wept  bitterly 
when,  being  ransomed,  they  were  taken  from  them  to  be  restored 
to  civilized  life.  Their  mother's  father,  Capt.  Harnden,  of 
Woolwich,  went  to  Canada  for  them,  and  such  is  his  testimony 
respecting  their  treatment.  At  Fort  Halifax  two  men  fishing 
were  shot  and  mortally  wounded. 

Such  was  the  character  of  this  needless  war.     Though  but 

>  Journal  of  the  Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives,  vol.  ix.  p.  248. 


■ 


858 


THE  BISTOSr  OF  MAINE. 


few  in  Maine  were  killed,  the  alarm  was  universal.  The  lonely 
Battlers  did  not  dare  to  cultivate  their  fields.  No  one  could 
move  from  his  house  without  danger  of  being  shot  at.  The 
Indians  were  despondent.  Gloom  was  everywhere.  There  was 
famine  in  the  land.  To  add  to  the  woes,  the  small-pox  broke 
out,  and  raged  in  garrison,  cabin,  and  wigwam.  The  Penobscot 
Indians,  who  had  been  so  ruthlessly  assailed,  appealed  in  piteoug 
tones  for  peace,  to  Capt.  Bradbury,  who  commanded  the  garri- 
son at  St.  George's.  Very  truthfully  does  Mr.  Williamson 
write,  — 

"  No  other  eastern  tribe  had  treattx^  the  Ev.glish  with  so  much  forbearance 
and  honor.  And  the  good  man's  heart  must  be  touched  with  sympathy  for 
their  melancholy  condition,  when  he  reflects,  that,  in  the  present  war  upon 
them,  our  own  people  were  the  first  and  principal  aggressors."  * 

The  Indians  were  deemed  so  powerless,  that,  during  the  year 
1767,  only  two  hundred  and  sixty  men  were  employed  to  hunt 
them  down,  besides  those  in  garrison.  Early  in  June,  Mts.  Hall, 
a  lady  of  remarkable  beauty  and  many  accomplishments,  was 
captured,  with  her  children,  after  her  husband  had  been  killed. 
They  were  carried  to  Canada,  where  they  were  separated.  Mrs. 
Hall  was  eventually  ransomed.  But  this  unhappy  woman,  not- 
wichstanding  her  lifelong  endeavors,  could  never  obtain  the 
lei.st  knowledge  of  the  fate  of  her  children. 

It  was  diflBcult  to  find  the  Indians.  They  very  generally- 
abandoned  the  frontiers.  In  1758  Harpswell  was  incorporated. 
Its  atmosphere  was  even  then  deemed  so  salubrious  that  it  was 
resorted  to  by  the  sick.  There  were,  during  this  year,  only  two 
or  three  acts  of  violence,  on  the  part  of  the  Indians  in  Maine. 
In  other  portions  of  our  extensive  country,  the  struggle  between 
France  and  England  raged  with  great  violence.  In  August  an 
attempt  was  m^de  by  a  party  of  French  and  Indians  from  Can- 
ada, upon  Fort  St.  George's.  It  is  estimated  that  the  band  con- 
sisted of  about  four  hundred.  Re-enforcements  were  promptly 
sent  to  the  place,  and  the  assailants  were  driven  off  after  butcher- 
ing about  sixty  cattle  in  the  vicinity.     Soon  after  an  attack  was 


Williamson,  vol.  li.  p.  324. 


THE  BIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


869 


made  upon  Medunoook,  now  Friendship,  where  eight  men  were 
either  killed  or  captured. 

*' These,"  writes  Mr.  Williamson,  "so  far  as  our  know ladge 
extends,  closed  the  scenes  of  massacre,  plunder,  and  outrage 
by  the  Indians,  during  the  present  war  and  forever."  * 

During  the  next  year,  Quebec,  Ticonderoga,  Niagara,  and 
Crown  Point  fell  before  the  valor  of  British  armies ;  and  the 
banners  of  France,  not  long  after  this,  were  driven  from  this 
continent.'  It  was  a  great  achievement;  but  it  was  accom- 
plished through  woes  to  humanity  which  no  tongue  can  ade- 
quately tell. 

The  Indians  were  no  longer  to  bo  feared.  A  military  force 
was  sent  to  Penobscot  to  take  possession  of  that  magnificen' 
valley.  A  site  was  selected  for  a  fort,  about  three  leagues  below 
Orphan  Island,  in  the  present  town  of  Prospect.  It  was  both 
fort  and  trading-house.  Though  the  Indian  tribes  were  greatly 
broken,  and  were  crumbling  to  decay,  there  were  still  many 
thousand  Indians  in  that  region,  eager  to  sell  their  furs  for  the 
commodities  which  the  English  offered  in  exchange.  A  gentle- 
man who  visited  the  fort  soon  after  its  erection,  wrote,  "  I  have 
seen  one  of  its  rooms  as  full  as  it  could  be  well  stowed,  with  the 
firdt  quality  of  furs,  beaver,  otter,  and  sable." 

The  strt  Jture  was  called  Fort  Pownal.  It  cost  five  thousand 
pounds,  and  was  garrisoned  by  a  hundred  men.  The  governor, 
in  his  message  to  the  legislature,  said  that  he  had  taken  military 
possession  of  a  large  and  fine  country,  which  had  long  been  a 
den  for  savages,  and  a  lurking-place  for  renegado  Frenchmen. 
In  October,  1759,  the  plantation  of  Nequasset,  sometimes  called 
Nauseag,  was  erected  into  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Woolwich. 
The  Indians  were  compelled  to  confess  their  rebellion,  and  that 
consequently  they  had  forfeited  all  their  lands^  and  to  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king  of  England.  The  once  powerful 
Penobscot  tribe  had  dwindled  to  five  chiefs,  seventy-five  warriors, 
and  five  hundred  souls.  The  English  granted  the  Indians  per- 
mission to  hunt  through  the  unoccupied  forests,  and  to  rear  their 
villages  upon  such  spots  as  might  be  assigned  to  them. 

1  WUliamson,  vol.  U.  p.  333. 

*  Quebec,  the  capital  of  New  France,  capitulated  on  lie  5th  of  October,  1739. 
^Smollett,  A'ol.  iii.  p.  475. 


I 


_*Kli)t.jft*.. 


S60 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


At  this  time  nearly  all  the  houses  at  St.  George's  River  were 
of  logs.  They  wero  very  humble  structures.  Nine  wore  built 
in  one  day.  It  was  twenty  miles  to  the  nearest  mill.  There 
were  no  carts  or  cart-roads.  Bears  and  wolves  were  numerous 
in  the  forests.  Moose  and  deer  were  abundant.  At  one  time, 
when  the  snow  was  deep  and  covered  with  a  crust,  seventy 
moose  were  taken  in  one  winter. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1760,  Pownalborough  was  chartered 
as  a  township.  It  embraced  the  three  present  towns  of  Dres- 
den, Wiscasset,  and  Alna,  and  also  Swan  Island.  Two  new 
counties,  Cumberland  and  Lincoln,  were  also  established.^  Upon 
the  retirement  of  Gov.  Pownal  this  year,  Thomas  Hutchinson, 
a  graduate  of  Harvard,  was  placed  in  the  gubernatorial  chair. 
From  a  valuation  taken  in  the  year  1761,  it  is  estimated  that 
the  population  of  the  State  then  amounted  to  about  seventeen 
thousand  five  hundred  souls. 

Sir  Francis  Bernard  was  soon  appointed  governor  by  the 
crown.  Maine  was  then  regarded  as  a  remote  but  important 
district  of  Massachusetts.  The  new  governor  was  an  English- 
man by  birth,  a  graduate  of  Oxford  University,  and  a  thorough 
aristocrat.  In  heart  he  was  probably  strongly  opposed  to  tho 
republican  views  prevailing  in  the  colonies,  and  his  great  desire 
Wi*s  CO  increase  the  ascendancy  of  the  crown.  He  became 
unpopular  from  his  evident  efforts  to  curtail  the  influence  of  the 
people.  The  rich  valley  of  the  Penobscot  was  fast  drawing 
settlers.  The  General  Court  made  Gov.  Bernard  a  present  of 
the  far-famed  island  Mount  Desert.  It  is  said  that  this  gift  was 
probably  intended  to  secure  his  influence  with  the  crown  in 
obtaining  its  consent  to  the  establishment  of  tliirteen  townships 
in  the  Penobscot  region.  These  townships  would  send  represen- 
tatives to  the  General  Court.  This  would  increase  the  popular 
power.     The  governor  had  therefore  opposed  the  measure. 

There  was  still  an  immense  amount  of  ungranted  land  in  the 
eastern  portion  of  the  State.    Commissioners  were  appointed  to 


1  There  were  consequently,  at  tlu3  time,  three  counties.  York  contained  eight 
towns,  Cumberland  seven,  and  Lincoln  five.  There  were  perhaps  as  many  more 
small  and  scattered  settlements,  called  plantations.  The  Neck,  now  rortlaml, 
contained  a  hundred  and  tJiirty-six  dwelling-houses.  —/SmiWs  Journal,  p.  74. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


861 


run  the  dividing  line  between  Maine  and  Nova  Scotia.  In  1762 
Windham,  Buxton,  and  Bowdoinham  were  incorporated.  This 
last  town  was  named  in  honor  of  Dr.  Peter  Bowdoin,  a  Protes- 
tant, -.vho  had  fled  from  France  after  the  revocat\on  of  the  Edict 
of  Nf.ntes.  On  the  10th  of  February,  1763,  a  general  treaty 
of  peace  was  signed  at  Paris,  between  France  and  England. 
France  renounced  to  Great  Britain  all  her  northern  dominions 
in  America.  At  this  time  there  was  not  a  settler  in  the  valley 
of  the  Penobscot  above  Orphan  Island. 

The  Indians  were  no  more  successful  tixan  the  English  in  pre- 
venting acts  of  murder  and  robbery  on  the  part  of  lawless  vaga- 
bonds. An  Indian  was  hunting  and  trapping  near  Fort  Pownal. 
Four  Englishmen  killed  him,  and  stole  his  traps  and  furs.  The 
villany  escaped  unpunished,  and  the  Indians  attempted  no 
revenge.  There  were  several  such  cases  which  the  Indians  bore 
with  wonderful  forbearance. 

This  year  the  census  was  taken,  but  it  is  thought  not  very 
accurately.  According  to  the  report  made,  there  remained  but 
thirty  warriors  of  the  Norridgewock  tribe,  sixty  of  the  Penob- 
scot, and  thirty  of  the  Passamaquoddy  Indians.  The  whole  pop- 
ulation of  Maine  amounted  to  about  twenty-four  thousand. 

In  the  year  1764,  three  plantations  of  considerable  note, 
Topsham,  Gorham,  and  Boothbay,  were  incorporated.  Tops- 
ham  was  named  from  a  town  in  England  ;  Gorham  was  so  called 
in  honor  of  Capt.  John  Gorham,  a  revered  ancestor  of  one  of 
the  grantees.  The  first  settler  in  that  plantation  was  Capt. 
John  Phinney,  who  reared  his  lonely  cabin  in  that  wilderness 
in  the  year  1734.  Boothbay  was  the  ancient  Cape  Newagen 
settlement.  The  plantation  was  settled  in  the  year  1630,  soon 
after  the  first  adventurers  landed  at  Pemaquid.  A  century  of 
earth's  crimes  and  woes  had  since  passed  away,  and  dreadful 
were  the  ravages  those  settlers  had  experienced  during  the 
Indian  wars. 

The  next  year  two  more  towns  were  incorporated,  Bristol 
and  Cape  Elizabeth.  These  were  the  twenty-second  and 
twenty-third  towns  of  the  district  of  Maine.  Bristol  embraced 
the  ancient  and  renowned  Pemaquid.  A  settlement  was  com- 
menced here  as  early  as  1620.     The  name  was  given  from  the 


o 


a 

'A 

< 

af 
•J. 
(^. 

o 
o 


THE  msTonr  of  maine. 


86S 


city  of  Bristol  in  England.  Cape  Elizabeth  was  taken  from 
the  old  town  of  Falmouth.  The  first  inhabitants  settled  upon 
a  neck  of  land  to  which  we  often  have  had  occasion  to  refer  as 
Purpooduck  Point.  Nearly  all  the  inhabitants  of  tlie  place 
were,  at  one  time,  massacred  by  the  Indians. 

On  the  eastern  side  of  Salmon  Falls  River,  above  Berwick, 
there  had  long  been  a  plantation  of  considerable  note,  called  by 
its  Indian  name,  Tow-woh.  In  the  year  1767,  it  was  incorporated 
as  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Lebanon.  The  tide  of  emigration 
was  flowing  rapidly  towards  the  fertile  and  beautiful  banks  of 
the  Kennebec.  In  the  year  1771,  four  towns  were  inc  -porated 
upon  that  river,  embracing  an  area  of  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  square  miles.  These  were  Hallowell,  Vassalboro'  gh,  Wins- 
low,  and  Winthrop.  They  constituted  the  twenty-sixth,  twenty 
seventh,  twenty-eighth,  and  twenty-ninth  <  arporate  towns  of 
the  State. 

Hallowell  was  so  called  from  a  distinguished  English  family 
of  that  name.  It  embraced  the  present  territory  of  Augusta. 
There  had  been  occasional  inhabitants  in  this  region,  which  was 
called  Cushnoc  and  the  Hook  for  more  than  a  hundred  years. 
Vassalborough,  which  then  included  also  Sidney,  was  named 
from  the  Hon.  William  Vassal,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Mass- 
achusetts. 

Winslow  was  also  incorporated  this  year,  including  the  present 
town  of  Waterville.  Here  was  the  famous,  Teconnet  of  the 
Indians ;  and  it  was  at  this  point,  on  .he  neck  of  land  formed  by 
the  union  of  the  Sebasticook  and  the  Kennebec,  that  Fort  Hali- 
fax was  reared.  As  early  as  1754,  eleven  families  built  their 
cabins  at  this  frontier  fort  in  ttie  wilde':"ess. 

Winthrop  also  was  incorpo:'ated,  embracing  territory  which 
was  subsequently  set  apart  as  Roadfie.i.  The  territorial  lan- 
tation  established  here  .f*as  calle  se  Pond  Town  Plantation. 
There  were  forty-four  L^kes  ol  rare  beauty,  within  limits  now 
comprising  Winthrop,  Readficld,  and  a  part  of  Wayne.  It  is  a 
beautiful  region,  commanding  ,,;.;&  for  villas,  as  the  country 
shall  increase  in  wealth  and  ytopulation,  which  perhaps  no  por- 
tion of  our  extensive  domain  can  surpass.  This  beautiful  chain 
of  lakes  was  the  great  wator-course  over  which  the  canoes  of 


■iu^i 


$64 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  Indians  were  paddled  as  they  passed  from  the  Kennebec  to 
the  Androscoggin.* 

On  the  shores  of  these  lakes,  the  Indians,  with  a  high  appre- 
ciation of  landscape  beauty,  reared  their  villages.  One  of  these 
lakes,  Cobbosseconte,  is  twelve  miles  long  and  two  wide.  The 
outlet  of  these  lovely  sheets  of  water  is  into  the  Kennebec,  at 
what  is  now  Gardiner,  by  a  stream  which  the  Indians  called 
Cobbossecontecook.  All  the  names  the  Indians  gave  appear  to 
have  had  some  particular  significance.  It  is  said  that  Cobbosse 
meant  sturgeon,  conte,  abundance  of,  and  cook^  place.' 

In  the  year  1764,  Timothy  Foster,  with  his  wife  and  ten  chil- 
dren, wandered  through  the  trails  of  the  forest  to  the  margin 
of  Cobbosseconte  Lake.  Here  he  reared  his  log  cabin,  and 
obtained  what  he  probably  considered  an  abundant  and  luxuri- 
ous livelihood,  by  hunting,  fishing,  trapping,  and  cultivating  a 
small  patch  of  corn.  The  farm  granted  him  by  the  proprietors 
was  a  hundred  rods  on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  running  back  a 
mile.  The  conditions  were  simply  that  he  should  build  a  house 
twenty  feet  square  and  ten  feet  stud,  should  reside,  himself  or 
heirs,  on  the  premises  three  years,  and  clear  five  acres  of  land 
fit  for  tillage. 

The  thirtieth  town  in  the  State,  Pepperellborough,  was  incor- 
porated in  the  year  1772.  It  was  formed  by  cutting  off  a  sec- 
tion from  Biddeford,  and  was  named  in  honor  of  William 
Pepperell.8    After  bearing  that  name  for  thirty-seven  years,  it 

1  "The  latt  Dr.  Benjamin  Vaughan  of  Hallowell,  an  early  settler  there, 
formerly  a  memher  of  the  British  Parliament,  but  obliged  to  flee  from  England 
"because  of  his  sympathy  for  and  interest  in  the  American  colonies,  waa  accus- 
tomed to  take  his  distinguished  visitors  to  Winthrop.  He  would  como  by  the 
charming  view  of  Cobbosseconte  Lake  at  East  Winthrop,  over  the  old  Meeting- 
HouseHill,  and  return  by  the  Narrows  Pond;  and  he  o£ten  said  this  ride  gave 
Lim  the  most  interesting  scenery  in  Now  England."  —  Historic  Address  by  the  Hon. 
S.  P.  Benson,  p.  35. 

a  Collections  of  Maine  Historical  Society,  vol.  iv.  p.  113.  For  a  more  minute 
description  of  this  lovely  region  and  its  early  settlement,  see  the  admirable  bis- 
torical  discourse  of  the  Hon.  Samuel  P.  Benson,  one  of  the  most  illustrious  o^  i,he 
sons  of  Winthrop,  given  at  the  centennial  cCiebration  of  the  first  town-meetin  ,; 
held  in  the  place. 

8  "William  Pepperell  was,  at  this  time  (1739),  colonel-commandant  of  the 
Yorkshire  Regiment;  a  gentleman  whose  moral  worth  and  military  talents  had 
already  given  him  an  elevated  rank  in  the  confidence  of  the  public."  —  WUUam- 
ton,  vol.  iv.  p.  200. 


rst.^'- 


THE  BIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


865 


was  changed  to  Saco,  which,  by  a  gradual  growth,  has  become 
one  of  the  most  important  towns  in  the  State. 

Governor  Hutchinson  became  a  vigilant  and  unscrupulous 
advocate  of  unlimited  rrerogative  in  behalf  of  the  crown  of 
England.  The  colonies  were  now  in  peace  and  comparatively- 
rich  and  prosperous.  The  great  object  of  the  English  Govern- 
ment was  to  gather  all  the  reins  of  power  into  its  own  hands,  to 
tiix  the  people  in  every  adroit  way  in  which  it  could  be  done 
without  raising  too  loud  a  clamor,  and  to  thw^'  ".he  colonists  in 
all  their  endeavors  to  secure  popular  rigl  'he  tyrannical 

government  claimed  the  right  of  appointii  governors,  of 

removing  the  judges  at  will,  of  framing  th.  laws,  and  of 
imposing  taxes  at  its  pleasure ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  the 
right  was  denied  the  Americans  of  being  represented  in  parlia- 
ment. 

The  detail  of  these  encroachments,  which  gradually  brought 
the  Americans  and  the  English  into  battle  array  against  each 
other,  belongs  rather  to  the  general  history  of  the  United  States 
than  to  that  of  Maine.  To  overawe  the  people,  a  fleet  of  war- 
ships entered  Boston  Harbor  on  the  28th  of  September,  1768. 
Under  cover  of  its  guns,  seven  hundred  British  regulars  were 
landed,  and  with  loaded  muskets  and  fixed  bayonets,  marched 
through  the  streets  to  an  encampment  on  the  common.  Gen. 
Thomas  Gage  was  placed  in  command,  with  orders  to  enforce, 
by  bullet  and  bayonet  if  necessary,  all  the  requisitions  of  the 

ministry. 

The  blood  of  the  Bostonians,  and  of  nearly  all  the  American 
people,  almost  boiled  with  indignation.  There  were  but  little 
more  than  two  millions  of  white  people  scattered  along  the 
coast  for  hundreds  of  leagues  of  this  New  World.  The  most 
powerful  empire  then  upon  the  globe,  and,  if  we  consider  the 
destructive  enginery  of  war  in  their  hands,  we  may  say  the 
most  powerful  empire  that  ever  existed,  was  rousing  all  its 
energies  of  fleets  and  armies  to  crush  out  the  liberties  of  these 
feeble  colonies.  For  such  an  infant  David  to  venture  to  engage 
in  battle  with  such  a  gigantic  Goliath,  was  the  bravest,  perhaps 
we  should  say  the  most  reckless  measure,  evar  undertaken  on 
earth. 


866 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  king  of  England,  by  an  act  of  parliament,  "  for  the  bet" 
ter  regulation  of  the  government  of  the  province  of  Massachu- 
setts Bay,"  appointed  the  governor.  This  governor,  thus  en- 
tirely at  the  disposal  of  the  king,  appointed  the  justices  of  the 
supreme  court  and  the  sheriffs.  Jurors  were  no  longer  to  be 
appointed  by  freeholders,  but  by  the  sheriffs.  By  this  law  the 
king  was  placed  in  absolute  control.'  In  apprehension  that  tho 
people  might  resist  the  soldiery,  and  be  defended  by  the  colonial 
courts,  a  law  was  passed  that,  if  any  one  were  indicted  for  cap- 
ital offence,  he  might  be  sent  to  England  for  trial. 

The  people  began  to  meet  in  conventions,  pass  resolutions  of 
remonstrance,  petition  for  redress,  and  to  organize  for  resistance, 
should  circumstances  compel  a  resort  to  that  dire  extremity. 
There  were  here  and  there  various  acts  of  violence,  but  no 
serious  conflict  until  the  battle  of  Lexington  roused  the  whole 
country  to  arms. 

The  little  village  of  Lexington  was  situated  about  twelve 
miles  north-west  of  Boston.  A  few  straggling  houses  partially 
surrounded  a  small  unfenced  green,  or  common.  Here  the 
meeting-house  and  public  tavern  stood,  forming,  with  a  few 
other  houses,  one  of  the  boundaries  of  the  common.  Near  this 
green  the  road  divides.  The  left  branch,  still  bearing  to  the 
north-west,  leads  to  the  village  of  Concord,  about  six  miles 
farther  on.  Here,  about  eighteen  miles  from  Boston,  the  Ameri- 
cans had  deposited  some  provisions  and  military  stores. 

Gen.  Gage  sent  out  a  detachment  of  from  eight  hundred  to  a 
thousand  regular  soldiers,  secretly  and  at  midnight,  to  seize  and 
destroy  them.  It  was  the  night  of  the  iSth  of  April,  1775, 
when  the  troops,  in  boats,  crossed  the  Charles  River,  and,  in 
the  darkness,  commenced  a  rapid  march  toward  Concord. 
Every  precaution  had  been  adopted  by  Gen.  Gage,  to  prevent 
any  intelligence  of  the  movement  from  spreading  into  the 
country.  He  hoped  to  take  the  place  by  surprise,  to  destroy 
the  stores,  and  to  return  to  Boston  before  any  resistance  could 
be  organized.^ 

i  Ancient  CLaitere,  p.  785. 

'  See  account  of  tiie  expedition,  by  Frederic  Hudson,  in  Harper's  Mngwrfnii^ 
voL  1. ;  also  History  of  the  Battle  ai>  Lexington,  by  Ellas  Phlnney. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


867 


In  Bost'^n  there  were  stationed  ten  regiments  of  veteran  British 
troops;  and  several  men-of-war  rode  at  anchor  in  the  harbor. 
Notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  for  secrecy,  vigilant  eyes  watched 
€very  measure  of  the  arrogant,  insulting,  detested  soldiery.  In 
addition  to  many  other  watchful  ones,  Paul  Revere  had  arranged 
with  a  friend,  to  signal  any  important  movement.  He  had  a  fleet 
horse  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  with  which  he  could  speedily 
spread  the  alarm.  Mr.  Longfellow,  our  own  poet,  a  native  of 
Portland,  Me.,  has  given  deathless  renown  to  this  midnight  ride, 
in  his  own  glowing  verse,  — 

"  Listen,  my  children,  and  you  shall  hear 

Of  the  midnight  ride  of  Paul  Revere, 

On  the  eighteenth  of  April  in  seventy-five  : 

Hardly  a  man  ia  now  alive 

Who  remembereth  that  day  and  year. 

He  said  to  his  friend,  '  If  the  British  march, 

By  land  or  sea,  from  the  town  to-night, 
Hang  a  lantern  aloft  in  the  belfry  arch 
Of  the  North  Church  tower  as  a  signal  light,  — 
One  if  by  land,  and  two  if  by  sea,  — 
And  I  on  the  opposite  shore  will  be. 
Ready  to  ride,  and  spread  the  alarm. 
Through  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm, 
For  the  country  folk  to  be  up  and  to  arm.*  " 


The  signal  appeared.  Revere  mounted  his  horse,  and  galloped 
along  the  road  to  Lexington,  shouting  the  alarm  to  every  family 
as  he  passed.  In  almost  every  dwelling  there  were  minute-men, 
with  guns  and  ammunition,  ready  to  rush  forth  at  the  first  warn- 
ing. Hancock  and  Adams  were  both  at  Lexington.  One  object 
of  the  British  expedition  was  to  capture  them. 

Revere  reached  Lexington.  The  village  was  roused.  The 
alarm  spread  like  wild-fire.  A  small  group  of  men,  with  their 
guns  in  their  hands,  pallid  not  with  fear,  but  with  intensity  of 
emotion,  gathered  in  the  gloom  upon  the  green,  to  decide  what 
to  do  in  the  terrible  emergence.  There  were  but  between  sixty 
and  seventy  present.  The  report  was,  that  there  were  between 
twelve  and  fifteen  hundred  disciplined,  thoroughly  armed  British 
regulars  approaching  under  the  command  of  experienced  gen- 


868 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


erals,  who  had  obtained  renown  in  the  wars  of  Europe.     Of 
course  a  forcible  resistance  was  not  to  be  thought  of.* 

In  the  mean  time  the  alarm  was  spreading  from  farmhouse  to 
farmhouse  in  all  directions.  The  village  church  bells  were 
rung,  signal  guns  were  fired,  and  there  was  mustering  in  "  hot 
haste."  The  British  troops  marched  rapidly,  arresting  any  person 
they  encountered  by  the  way.  A  little  before  five  o'clock,  tlie 
solid  column  appeared  but  a  few  rods  from  Lexington  Green» 
marching  at  double-quick  time.  Seeing  dimly  the  unformed 
group  of  Americans  upon  the  green,  they  halted  for  a  moment, 
doubled  their  ranks,  and  then  rushed  on.  Quietly  and  with  no 
signs  of  resistance  the  Americans  awaited  the  approach  of  the 
troops.  No  war  had  been  declared.  The  Americans  had  been 
guilty  of  no  act  of  violence.  They  supposed  that  the  British 
were  on  the  march  to  seize  the  stores  in  Concord.  Still  even 
this  was  uncertain,  and  they  waited  to  learn  what  were  the  in- 
tentions and  the  will  of  the  hostile  band. 

The  troops  came  along  upon  the  run.  When  within  a  few 
rods  their  commander,  Lieut.-Col.  Smith,  shouted,  "  Lay  down 
your  arms  and  disperse,  you  damned  rebels !  "  Then,  turning  to 
his  men,  he  exclaimed,  "  Rush  on,  my  boys  I   Fire  !  " 

It  was  a  mean  and  cowardly  act,  to  order  at  least  eight 
hundred  soldiers  to  fire  upon  a  confused  group  of  farmers, 
amounting  to  not  more  than  seventy  at  the  most.  Even  the 
British  troops  recoiled  from  such  shameful  butchery,  and  with- 
held their  fire.  The  infurate  colonel  discharged  his  pistol  at 
the  Americans,  and,  brandishing  his  sword  like  a  maniac,  again 
shouted,  "  Fire  I  God  damn  you,  fire !  "  At  this  second  summons 
the  soldiers  in  the  first  platoon  discharged  their  muskets,  but 
took  care  to  throw  their  bullets  over  the  heads  of  those  whom 
they  seemed  to  be  assailing. 

1  At  the  same  time  that  Paul  Revere  commenced  Ms  midnight  ride,  Ebenezer 
Dorr  rode  over  the  Neck,  disguised  as  a  farmer,  with  a  flapped  hat  and  scantily 
filled  saddle-bags.  He  bore  the  following  despatch  frpm  Gen.  Warren  to  Hancock 
and  Adams: — 

"  A  large  body  of  the  king's  troops,  supposed  to  be  a  brigade  of  about  twelve 
hundred  to  fifteen  hundred,  were  embarked  in  boats  from  Boston,  and  have  gone 
over  to  laud  on  Ijechmere's  Point,  so  called,  in  Cambridge ;  and  it  is  suspected 
that  they  are  ordered  to  &eize  and  destroy  the  stores  belonging  to  the  colony 
deposited  a^.  Concord." 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


369 


The  Americans  thought  that  this  was  done  to  frighten  them, 
and  that  the  muskets  of  the  English  were  loaded  only  with 
powder.  They  therefore  remained  calmly  at  their  post,  neither 
running  away  in  panic,  nor  returning  the  fire.  The  troops  now 
discharged  a  volley  in  earnest.  Eight  of  the  Americans  fell 
dead,  and  ten  were  wounded.  A  few  guns  were  discharged  at 
the  English,  as  the  panic-stricken  Americans  fled  in  all  direc- 
tions. John  Parker  fell  wounded.  He  fired  his  gun  at  the  foe, 
and  was  again  loading  it  when  a  British  soldier  ran  him  through 
with  the  bayonet.  Resistance  was  hopeless,  but  a  few  others 
discharged  their  guns  as  they  fled,  or  lay  wounded  on  the 
ground.  The  English  continued  to  fire  so  long  as  a  single  re- 
treating American  could  be  seen  within  gun-shot.* 

Thus  was  the  dreadful  war  of  the  Anaerican  Revolution 
ushered  in.  History  records  many  atrocious  crimes  perpetrated 
by  the  government  of  Great  Britain ;  but,  among  them  all, 
perhaps  there  is  no  one  more  unnatural,  cruel,  and  criminal  than 
this  endeavor  to  rivet  the  chains  of  despotism  upon  her  own  sons 
and  daughters,  who  were  struggling  against  the  hardships  of  the 
wilderness,  and  who  had  come  to  these  solitudes  that  they  might 
enjoy  civil  and  religious  liberty.  There  were  thousands  of  the 
noblest  men  in  England  who  detested  these  infamous  measures, 
and  who  remonstrated  against  them  with  the  utmost  vehemence. 
Lord  Chatham  on  the  floor  of  Parliament  exclaimed,  in  words 
we  have  already  quoted,  "  Were  I  an  American,  as  I  am  an 
Englishman,  I  would  never  lay  down  my  arms,  — never,  never, 
never ! " 

The  English  suffered  but  little  from  the  few  bullets  which 
were  thrown  at  them  in  return.  One  man  was  shot  through  the 
leg,  and  one  was  wounded  in  the  hand.  The  verdict  which  the 
civilized  world  has  pronounced  upon  this  attack  is,  that  it  was 
a  cold-blooded  and  cowardly  massacre.  In  the  dreadful  struggle 
which  ensued,  our  unhappy  land  was  doomed  to  woes,  inflicted 
by  what  was  called  the  mother  country,  far  exceeding  any 


1  There  ia  some  diversity  in  tlie  details  which  we  given  of  this  conflict ;  but 
the  general  facts,  as  given  above,  are  boyond  all  dispute.    There  were  probably  on 
tlie  green  at  Lexington  fifty  or  sixty  farmers  with  muskets,  and  thirty  or  forty 
unarmed  spectators. 
21 


THE  ni STORY  OF  MAINE. 


871 


sufferings  which  had  been  endured  in  the  warfare  with  eav- 
ages. 

After  a  delay  of  but  twenty  or  thirty  minutes,  the  king's 
troops  resumed  their  march  six  miles  further  to  Concord.  They 
reached  the  place  without  opposition.  Before  leaving  Lexington 
they  drew  up  on  the  common,  fired  a  triumphant  salute,  and 
gave  three  cheers  in  token  of  their  great  victory.  Concord  con- 
sisted then  mainly  of  a  little  cluster  of  dwellings,  scattered 
around  in  the  vicinity  of  a  large  meeting-house.  The  regulars 
destroyed  all  the  ammunition  and  stores  they  could  find.'  Be- 
coming alarmed  by  the  indications  of  a  popular  rising,  and  of 
tho  gathering  of  the  farmers  to  assail  them,  they  commenced  a 
rapid  retreat. 

The  troops  marched  into  the  village  of  Concord  about  seven 
o'clock.  It  was  one  of  the  most  lovely  of  spring  mornings. 
Nearly  a  hundred  minute-men  had  assembled  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  court-house,  and  re-enforcements  from  the  neighboring  vil- 
lages were  fast  approaching.  The 'retreat  of  the  British  soon 
became  a  precipitate  flight.  The  Americans,  rapidly  increasing, 
pressed  upon  them  with  great  bravery,  firing  into  their  ranks 
from  every  grove,  and  stone  wall,  and  eminence  where  they 
could  find  a  natural  rampart.  Hour  after  hour  the  fugitives 
Were  assailed  by  a  galling  and  destructive  fire,  continually  in- 
creasing in  severity.  It  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  the 
officers  could  preserve  any  order.  All  was  confusion.  It  is  said 
that  the  whole  country  was  so  aroused,  that  it  seemed  as  if  men 
came  down  from  the  clouds.  The  British  retreated,  as  they 
advanced,  with  flanking  parties,  and  with  van  and  rear  guards. 

With  the  Americans  there  was  no  military  order.  "  Every 
man  was  his  own  general."  Not  a  shout  was  heard.  Scarcely 
a  word  Avas  spoken.  The  English  thought  only  of  escape.  The 
Americans,  exasperated  by  months  of  oppression,  insolence,  and 
insult,  thought  only  of  shooting  down  the  hauglity  foe  who  had 
affected  to  regard  them  with  the  utmost  contempt.     At  one  or 

»  "  While  at  Concord  the  enemy  disabled  two  twenty-four  pounders,  destroy- 
ing their  carriages,  wheels,  and  limbers;  sixteen  wheels  for  brass  three-pouiulers; 
two  carriages  with  wheels  for  two  four-pounders;  about  live  hundred  weight  of 
balls,  wliich  they  threw  into  the  river  and  wells;  and  stove  about  sixty  barrels 
of  flour."  —  Gordon's  Account, 


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23  WfST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.V.  MS80 

(716)  •72-4503 


4^ 


872 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


two  points  the  British  made  a  brief  stand,  when  something  like 
a  battle  ensued,  and  several  fell  on  each  side.  At  length,  how- 
ever, the  British  were  driven  almost  upon  the  full  run  before 
the  Americans,  in  a  race  for  life.  Then:  sufferings  from  thirst 
hunger,  and  exhaustion  were  dreadful.  They  would  all  hava 
been  inevitably  killed  or  captured,  had  not  a  re-enfcrcement  of 
eleven  hundred  troops,  with  two  field-pieces,  come  fiom  Boston 
to  their  relief.' 

An  eye-witness  writes,  «  When  the  distressed  troops  reached 
the  hollow  square  formed  by  the  fresh  troops  for  their  recep- 
tion,  they  were  obliged  to  Ue  down  upon  the  ground,  their 
tongues  hanging  out  of  their  mouths  like  those  of  dogs  after  a 
chase.  This  re-enforcement  met  the  retreating  British  troops 
near  l.exingtou,  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  For  a 
short  time  the  fire  of  the  field-pieces  seemed  to  stagger  the 
Americans;  but  they  soon  became  accustomed  to  the  crashincr 
of  the  balls  through  the  forest,  and  resumed  the  pursuit.  It 
was,  however,  necessary  to  practise  increased  caution  in  attack- 
ing a  desperate  foe  so  greatly  augmented  in  strength. 

The  British  were  savage  in  their  vengeance.  Buildings  were 
shattered  and  despoiled  as  far  as  possible.  Mariy  would  have 
been  laid  m  ashes  had  not  the  close  pursuit  of  the  Americans 
enabled  them  to  extinguish  the  flames.  Several  of  the  aged 
and  infirm,  unable  to  flee,  were  bayoneted  in  their  dwellings. 
Houses  were  set  on  fire  where  women  were  helpless  in  bed 
with  new-born  babes.  No  alternative  was  left  them  but  to  be 
consumed  by  the  flames,  or,  with  the  infants  on  their  bosoms, 
to  rush  into  the  streets. 

At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  exhausted,  bleeding, 
breathless  troops  reached  Charlestown.  They  took  refuse  on 
Bunker  Hill.  Here  they  were  protected  by  the  guns  of  vessels 
of  war  m  the  harbor.  According  to  the  best  estimate  which 
can  be  made,  the  casualties  on  each  side  were  as  follows:  — 

Americans  killed,  49;  wounded,  86;  missing,  6. 
firitish  ««      73         a        172        "      28.* 

i^the  mlnate  and  admirable  aaconnt,  by  Mr.  Frederick  Hudson,  in  Haiper'a 

•  Harper's  Magazine,  No.  300,  y  804. 
24 


THE  HISTORY   OF  MAINE. 


878 


The  battle  of  Lexington  sounded  the  tocsin  of  alarm  through 
out  all  the  colonies.     The  news  reached  York  in  the  evening  of 
the  same  day.     The  next  morning  a  company  of  sixty  men, 
vrith  arms,  ammunition,  and  knapsacks  full  uf  provisions,  set 
out  on  their  march  for  Boston.     This  was  the  first  company 
organized  in  Maine  for  the  war  of  the  Revolution.     On  the  21st 
of  April,  Falmouth  sent  a  strong  company ;   soon  after.  Col. 
James  Scammon,  of  Biddeford,  led  a  full  regiment  to  Cam- 
bridge, where  the  American  troops  were  being  rendezvoused.' 
The  little  town  of  New  Gloucester  raised  twenty  men.     In  a 
fev/  days,  more  than  fifteen  thousand  patriotic  Americans  had 
left  for  the  battlefield  their  homes  and  their  farms,  in  seedtime, 
the  most  important  season  of  the  year.     Every  man  was  appar- 
ently ready  to  pledge  his  life,  his  fortune,  and  his  sacred  honor, 
in  defence  of  the  liberties  of  America. 

Falmouth  was  the  seat  of  justice  for  Cumberland  County. 
Here  there  was  established  the  most  remote  custom-house  in 
New  England.  There  was  an  Episcopal  church  here,  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wiswall.a  This  church  became  the 
nucleus  of  a  party  of  crown  officers  and  their  political  friends, 
who  were  hostile  to  popular  government,  and  warmly  advocated 
the  claims  of  the  British  crown. 

But  many  of  the  prominent  citizens,  together  with  the  over- 
whelming majority  of  the  people,  were  earnestly  patriotic. 
Many  conventions  had  been  held,  where  strong  resolutions  were 
passed  condemning  the  encroachments  of  the  crown.  A  very 
bitter  feeling  sprang  up  between  the  people  and  the  royalist 
office-holders.     These  advocates  of  the  crown  denounced  Fal-- 


1     Col.  Scammon  was  well  fitted  to  shine  in  the  military  profession;  possess- 
ing vigor  of  nund  and  body,  and  a  gayety  of  temper  which  secured  the  good  ^^'1U 

t^?,*."^^"!?*  ''^  ^"  '"''''  ^'"'■®'®  "nder  his  command." -//fe(orj,o/^acoa«ci 
Biddeford,  by  George  Folsom,  p,  283. 

a  Eev.  Mr.  Wiswall  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  and  in  1766  settled  in  the 
ministry  as  a  Congregationalist,  over  the  Casco  parish  in  Falmouth  In  17C4  lie 
changed  his  religious  sentiments,  went  to  England  to  receive  orcUnation,  and  re- 
turning became  pastor  of  an  Episcopal  church,  which  had  just  been  organized  on 
Cie  Neck.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Eevolutlon,  he  joined  the  royalist  party 
took  refuge  on  board  the  British  fleet,  and  sailed  for  England,  At  the  close  of 
the  war  he  returned  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  took  charge  of  a  pariah  in  Comwallia. 
where  he  remained  until  he  died.  —History  of  Portland,  by  William  WU'it  p  370 


874 


THE  HI8T0R/  OF  MAINE. 


mouth  to  the  British  authorities,  as  second  only  to  Boston  in  its 
rebelhous  spirit. 

When  the  odious  Stamp  Act  was  passed,  in  1765,  an  English 
vessel  brought  packages  of  the  hated  stamps  to  Falmouth,  and 
they  were  deposited  in  the  custom-house.  The  people  assem- 
bled,  marched  to  the  custom-house,  seized  the  stamps,  carried 
them  m  solemn  procession  through  the  streets,  and  burned  them. 
.Z^Vl  '^^  was  imposed  upon  tea,  a  popular  assemblage 
expressed  their  hostility  to  the  despotic  act  in  the  following 
terms :  "  Resolved  that  we  will  not  buy  nor  sell  any  India  te^ 
whatever  after  this  third  day  of  February,  until  the  act  that 
lays  a  duty  on  it  is  repealed." 

17^^!h  *^,'  ^"f '^J^^^^e^ent  closed  the  port  of  Boston,  in 
1774  the  bed  of  l^almouth  meeting-house  was  muffled,  and 
tolled  funereally  from  sunrise  to  sunset.     By  vote  of  the  town 

irTr''''''i^u.™^'^^*°  ^'^'^^'^'^  "P°"  the  alarming 
state  of  affairs  Thirty-three  delegates  met,  from  nine  town., 
ni  "Mrs.  Greele's  little  one-story  tavern."  Among  other  im- 
portant  measures,  one  was  that  each  member  pledged  himself 
not  to  accept  auy  commission  under  the  late  acts  of  pariiament 

There  was  a  wealthy  man  in  the  place,  Capt.  Samuel  Coulson, 
who  had  rendered  himself  very  obnoxious  to  the  people  by  his 
Violent  opposition  to  the  popular  sentiment,  and  his  suppoit  of 
the  measures  of  the  crown.  He  had  built  a  large  ship.  In 
May,  1775,  a  vessel  arrived  from  England,  bringing  sails,  rig- 
ging, and  stores  for  the  ship.  J=    S     «*  »,  ng 

As  England  was  laying  a  heavy  duty  upon  all  her  products, 
an  American  Association  "  had  been  formed  in  the  severa 
colomes  to  thwart  the  British  monopoly  of  manufactures  and 
trade.  The  committee  in  Falmouth  met,  and  decided  that  the 
packages  should  be  sent  back  to  England  unopened.  Capt. 
Cou  son  sent  to  Boston,  and  secured  the  aid  of  a  sloop  of  war, 
the  «  Canseau,  under  Capt.  Mowatt,  to  enable  him  to  land  the 
goods  The  excitement  among  the  citizens  was  such  that 
Mowatt  hesitated  in  resorting  to  violent  measures. 

While  affairs  were  in  this  menacuig  posture.  Col.  Samuel 
Thompson  a  bold,  reckless  man,  came  from  Brunswick,  with 
ttty  picked  men,  resolved  to  seize  the  sloop  of  war.     They 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


875 


came  in  boats,  and  secretly  encamped  in  a  thick  grove  on  Mun- 

joy's  Hill.     It  so  happened  that  the  da^  of  their  arrival  Capt. 

Mowatt  and  his  surgeon,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wiswall] 

were  taking  a  walk  upon  this  commanding  eminence.     The* 

captain  and  his  surgeon  were  seized  and  held  as  prisoners.     The 

rash  measure  excited  general  consternation.     The  houses  were 

entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  guns  of  the  sloop.     The  second 

officer  in  command  threatened,  that,  if  the  prisoners  were  not 

released  before  six  o'clock,  he  would  open  fire  upon  the  town.» 

Some  of  the  prominent  citizens  called  upon  Col.  Thompson, 

and  entreated  him  to  liberate  the  captives.    The  colonel  refused, 

declaring  that  relentless  war  was  now  raging  between  the  two 

countries  ;  but,  finding  the  whole  town  against  him,  he,  at  nine 

o  clock,  released  them  for  the  night,  upon  their  giving  the:- 

parole  that  at  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning  they  would  return 

to  his  encampment.     Two  citizens  of  Falmouth,  Messrs.  Preble 

and  Freeman,  pledged  themselves  as  sureties  of  the  prisoners. 

Nine  o'clock  came,  Lut  Mowatt  did  not  appear.  Col.  Thomp- 
son  angrily  arrested  the  two  sureties,  and  held  them  all  day 
without  food  In  the  afternoon  he  sent  to  the  sloop-of-war  to 
inquire  why  Ho  watt  *  did  not  keep  his  parole.  He  replied  that 
his  washerwoman  had  overheard  threats  to  shoot  him  as  soon 
as  he  appeared  on  shore. 

The  intelligence  of  the  peril  of  Falmouth  spread  rapidly. 
Five  or  six  hundred  militia-men  from  the  small  settlements 
around,  were  in  a  few  hours  marching  into  the  place.  They 
were  intensely  excited.  A  sort  of  court-martial  was  established, 
to  examine  suspected  citizens,  that  they  might  learn  who  could 
be  relied  upon  as  patriotic,  and  who  were  in  sympathy  with  the 
enemy.  Rev.  Mr.  Wis  wall  was  summoned  before  this  revolu- 
tionary tribunal.     He  declared,  on  oath,  that  he  abhorred  tho 

'  "Our  women  were,  I  believe,  every  one  of  theui  in  tears,  or  praying  or 
screaming;  precipitately  leaving  their  housea,  especially  those  whose  hxisbands 
were  not  at  home,  and  widows;  hurrying  their  goods  into  countrymen's  carts, 
never  asking  their  names,  though  strangers,  and  carrying  their  children  either  out 

^r  "IrV     "'""'  ^"'^•"  -"''^'>'^J  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  note,  p.  509. 
Ml-.  Williamson  spells  these  names  Mowett  and  Wiswell;  Mr.  Willis  spells 
them  Mowatt  and  Wiswall,  as  also  Wiswell.    I  follow  the  spelling,  and  in  the 
mahi  the  narrative  of  Mr.  William  Goold,  in  his  minute  and  graphic  descriptiou 
of  the  "Burning  of  Falmouth." 


376 


TBE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


doctrine  of  passive  obedience  and  non-resistanue.  He  wai 
released.  Several  others  were  questioned,  but  none  were  con- 
demned. 

Capt.  Coulson's  house  was  entered,  and  his  wine  freely  drank. 
An  intoxicated  soldier  fired  two  bullets  which  penetnted  tho 
hull  of  the  "  Canseao."  A  musket  was  discharged  in  return,  but 
no  harm  was  done.  Gen.  Preble  and  Col.  Freeman  were  still 
held  as  captives,  and  treated  with  severity. 

It  was  Tuesday,  the  t)th  of  May,  when  Mowatt  was  arrested. 
On  Wednesday  afternoon,  the  10th,  the  militia  marched  into 
Falmouth.  Thursday,  the  llth,  was  observed  as  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer  for  God's  interposition.  It  was  a  day  of  fearful 
excitement.  The  soldiers  succeeded  in  capturing  one  of 
Mowatt's  boats.  He  threatened  to  lay  the  town  in  ashes  unless 
the  boat  were  returned.  On  Friday,  the  soldiers  left  the  town 
and  returned  to  their  homes.  Thompson's  men  took  with  them 
the  captured  boat.  On  Monday,  the  16th,  Mown  tt,  still  breath- 
ing threatenings  and  slaughter,  raised  his  anchors,  and  sailed  for 
Portsmouth.  He  took  with  him  Coulson  and  his  new  ship. 
But  the  end  was  not  yet. 


LAST  KT.OCK  HOUSE  OF  FORT  IFAT.IFAX. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


I 


THE  WAB  OF  THE  REVOLUTION:  FALMOUTH  IN  ASHES. 

The  British  Fleet— The  Doom  announced  —  The  Conference— The  Bombard- 
ment—The Expedition  to  Quebec— The  Repulse— Friendliness  of  the 
Indians— New  Towns  «c.iorporated  — The  British  repulsed  at  Machias— 
Anecdote  of  John  Adams — Arrival  of  the  French  Fleet — The  Foe  estab- 
lished at  Biguyduce — Terrible  Naval  Disaster  of  the  Americans — Barbarism 
of  the  English  — The  Capture  of  (Jen.  Wadsworth  —  His  Brave  Defence— 
His  Escape. 

rpHE  storm  of  British  vengeance  was  rapidly  gathering,  which 
-L  was  to  doom  unhappy  Falmouth  to  destruction.  On  the  8th 
of  June  the  "  Senegal,"  a  war  vessel  of  sixteen  guns,  arrived,  and 
cast  anchor  in  the  harbor.  Four  days  after,  the  Tory  Coulson 
ctime  with  his  new  ship,  and  anchored  by  the  side  of  the  "  Sene- 
gal." Coulson  hoped,  under  the  menace  of  such  a  force,  to 
obtain  masts  for  his  ship.  But  as  he  was  a  declared  enemy  of 
the  town,  and  the  Provincial  Congress  had  passed  a  resolve  to 
prevent  Tories  from  conveying  their  property  out  of  the  country, 
the  people  would  not  allow  him  to  take  the  masts. 

Again  both  vessels  departed,  and  nothing  of  special  interest 
occurred  until  the  16th  of  October.  That  morning  quite  a  fleet 
was  seen  entering  the  harbor.  Capt.  Mowatt  led  the  way  in 
the  "  Canseau."  He  was  followed  by  a  ship-of-war,  the  "  Cat," 
two  armed  schooners,  and  a  bomb-sloop.  These  five  vessels 
anchored  abreast  of  the  town,  bringing  their  broadsides  to  bear 
upon  it.  In  consequence  of  strong  head-winds,  this  was  not 
accomplished  until  the  next  day. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  on  shore,  with 
a  letter  to  the  town  authorities.  The  officer  bearing  the  letter 
landed  at  the  foot  of  what  was  then  called  King  Street.    An 

877 


878 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


immense  throng  of  the  excited  people  met  him,  and  followed 
him,  without  noise  or  violence,  to  the  Town  House,  where  he 
delivered  the  letter.  It  was  a  document  ludicrous  for  its  bad 
grammar,  but  clear  in  its  terrible  announcement.  In  brief  it 
was  as  follows  :  — 

»•  You  have  long  experienced  Britain's  forbearance  in  withholding  tlio 
rod  of  correction.  You  have  been  guilty  of  the  most  unpardonable  rebel- 
lion. I  am  ordered  to  execute  just  punishment  on  the  tov/n  of  Falmouth. 
I  give  you  two  hours  in  which  you  can  remove  the  sick  and  the  infirm.  I 
shall  then  open  fire,  and  lay  the  town  in  ashes." » 

Terrible  was  the  consternation  which  this  letter  created.  For 
a  moment  there  was  perfect  silence.  All  seemed  stupefied. 
There  was  scarcely  a  moment's  time  for  deliberation.  Three 
gentlemen  were  chosen  to  visit  Mowatt,  and  see  if  it  were  not 
possible  to  avert  the  threatened  calamity.  But  Mowatt  was 
inflexible.  He  said  that  his  orders  were  peremptory,  and  that 
he  had  risked  the  loss  of  his  commission  by  allowing  his 
humanity  so  far  to  influence  him  as  to  give  them  any  warn- 
ing whatever;  that  he  was  ordered  to  anchor  "opposite  the 
town  with  all  possible  expedition,  and  then  burn,  sink,  and 
destroy."  a 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  the  three  gentlemen  of  the  com- 
mittee were  all  Episcopalians,  and  members  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wis- 
wall's  parish,  and  thus  supposed  friends  of  the  English.  It  was 
late  in  the  afternoon.  A  long,  cold  October  night  was  at  hand. 
Mothers  and  babes,  the  sick  and  the  dying,  were  to  be  driven 
out  into  the  bleak  fields  shelterless ;  there,  with  tears  of  agony, 
to  see  their  homes,  their  furniture,  their  clothing,  their  provis- 
ions, all  consumed  by  the  cruel  flames.  A  more  barbarous  order 
was  never  issued  by  a  band  of  Mohawk  savages.^ 

The  committee  expostulated  with  Mowatt  upon  the  cruelty 
of  his  order.     They  were  his  friends.    They  had  treated  him 


»  See  this  letter  in  full,  in  Willis's  History  of  Portland,  p.  Bir. 

»  Burning  of  Falinonth,  by  "William  Gould,  p.  12. 

•  "  The  vessels  came  here  directly  from  Boston;  and  no  doubt  can  bo  enter- 
tained that  the  order  for  the  destruction  of  the  town  proceeded  from  Admiral 
Graves,  who  then  commanded  in  this  at&tion."  —  UUtory  of  Portland,  by  WiUiam 
Willis,  p.  618. 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


371^ 


with  great  hospitality  on  his  previous  visit.  There  were  several 
Tory  families  in  the  place  who  had  already  suffered  much  from 
their  adherence  to  the  British  Government.  Their  homes  must 
be  consumed  with  the  rest.  The  flames  would  make  no  discrimi- 
nation.  Mowatt  was  confused  and  peiplexed,  and  manifested 
some  shame  in  view  of  the  barbarous  order  he  was  called  upon 
to  execute. 

^  At  length  he  consented  to  delay  the  bombardment  until  nine 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  if  the  people  would  consent  to  the 
humiliation  of  entirely  disarming  themeelves,  by  delivering  to 
him  all  the  cannon,  small  arms,  and  ammunition  in  the  place.  If 
eight  small  arms  were  sent  before  eight  o'clock  that  evening, 
he  would  postpone  the  destruction  of  the  town  until  he  had 
sent  an  express  to  Boston,  and  received  further  instructions. 

The  committee  told  him  frankly  that  they  did  not  think  that 
the  citizens  would  accept  those  terms.  They  returned  to  the 
town,  and  communicated  them  to  the  authorities.  An  anxious 
multitude  was  assembled  at  the  Town  House  to  learn  the  result 
of  the  conference.  As  with  one  voice  the  heroic  people  rejected 
the  humiliating  proposal.  They  however,  in  order  to  gain, 
time  for  the  removal  of  the  women,  the  children,  the  sick,  and 
as  many  of  their  effects  as  possible,  sent  the  eight  small  arms,, 
with  a  message  to  Mowatt,  that  they  would  summon  a  town 
meeting  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and  give  him  a  definite 
reply  before  eight  o'clock 

In  the  morning  the  meeting  was  held.  The  citizens,  with 
heroism  worthy  of  Sparta  in  her  brightest  days,  resolved  that 
they  would  not  surrender  their  arms  to  save  their  property.. 
This  answer  was  sent  back  at  eight  o'clock  the  next  morning  by 
the  same  committee.  The  members  were  allowed  half  an  hour 
to  row  ashore  and  escape  beyond  the  reach  of  the  bombard- 
ment. 

Promptly  at  nine  o'clock,  the  signal  of  attack  was  run  up  to 
the  mast-head  of  the  flag-ship,  and  at  the  same  moment  the 
blood-red  pennant  of  British  vengeance  was  unfurled  from  ail 
the  other  vessels.^    It  was  a  beautiful  autumnal  morning,  with 

»  The  Burning  of  Falmouth,  by  WflUam  Gould,  p.  14. 


880 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


a  cloudlesa  sky,  a  gentle  breeze,  and  an  invigorating  atmosphere. 
The  whole  lovely  expanse  of  bay  and  island  and  continent 
seemed  to  repose  in  the  smiles  of  a  loving  God.  Falmouth 
was  charmingly  situated,  on  the  southern  slope  of  a  gentle  emi- 
nence facing  the  bay.  It  was  the  largest  and  richest  town  in 
the  State.  There  were  about  four  hundred  dwelling-houses, 
quite  compactly  built,  though  each  had  its  garden.  Some  of 
these  dwellings  were  quite  elegant  in  their  structure.  There 
were  also  capacious  churches,  a  library,  and  several  public  build- 
ings of  importance,  together  with  many  barns  and  store-houses. 

Such  was  the  town  which  was  destroyed,  and  such  the  day 
on  which  this  atrocious  act  of  crime  and  inhumanity  was  perpe- 
trated. The  bombardment  was  terrific.  From  nine  o'clock  in 
the  morning  until  six  in  the  evening  an  incessant  storm  of  can- 
non-balls, bombs,  carcasses,  shells,  grape-shot,  and  bullets,  fell 
upon  the  doomed  town.  In  the  mean  time  one  hundred  men 
were  landed  in  boats  to  apply  the  torch  to  the  buildings  which 
might  be  out  of  the  range  of  shot  and  shell.^ 

No  resistance  could  be  of  any  avail.  The  inhabitants  ran 
great  risks  in  their  endeavors  to  save  their  furniture,  while  this 
tempest  of  war  was  raging  around  them.  I'he  town  soon 
presented  a  roaring  volcanic  sheet  of  flame.  Most  of  the  build- 
ings were  of  wood,  which  had  been  thoroughly  dried  in  the  sum- 
mer sun.  Dreadful  was  the  spectacle  which  the  evening  of  that 
awful  day  presented.  Two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dwell- 
ing-houses were  in  ashes,  in  addition  to  other  public  and  private 
buildings,  which  brought  the  whole  number  destroyed  up  to 
four  hundred  and  fourteen.  We  cannot  Tiere  enter  into  the 
details  of  individual  misery.  Many  cases  were  truly  heart- 
rending. 

Edmund  Burke  says  that  to  speak  of  atrocious  crime  in  mild 
language  is  ti-eason  to  virtue.  There  can  be  no  language  too 
strong  in  which  to  denounce  this  fiend-like  outrage.^    A  very 

»  History  of  Portland,  by  "William  "Willis,  p.  519. 

a  We  are  in  cordial  sympathy  with  the  spirit  manifested  by  the  Eev.  Samuel 
Deane,  D.D.,  who  was  then  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  in  Portland,  and 
who  witnessed  the  bombardment.    He  wrote,  — 

"  That  execrable  scoundrel  and  jnonster  of  ingratitude,  Capt.  H.  Mowatt  of 
Scotland,  who  hail  been  treated  with  extraordinary  kindness  a  few  months  before 


THR  BIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


881 


careful  estimate  was  made  of  the  amount  of  the  losses  experi- 
enced. They  reached  the  enormous  sum,  in  those  days,  of  fifty- 
four  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-seven  pounds,  thirteen 
shillings.  This  was  lawful  money,  which  was  then  equivalent 
to  two  hundred  and  twenty-nine  thousand  six  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  dollars  in  silver.* 

Soon  after  this  the  General  Court  commenced  rearing  some 
fortifications  at  Falmouth,  and  sent  four  hundred  soldiei-s  to 
aid  in  guarding  the  coast  of  Maine.  Gen.  Washington  projected 
an  expedition  against  Quebec.  The  force  consisted  of  about 
eleven  hundred  men,  mainly  infantry.  Col.  Benedict  Arnold, 
whose  gallantry  was  established,  and  whose  patriotism  was  then 
unsullied,  was  placed  in  command.  The  troops  rendezvoused 
at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  and  sailed  thence,  in  ten  transports,  for 
Fort  Weston,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  at  the  head  of 
tide-water  on  the  Kennebec  River.  They  ascended  the  river 
still  farther  in  boats,  and  marched  along  the  pathless  banks, 
encountering  the  most  exhausting  diflBculties,  until  they  reached 
a  point  about  thirty  miles  above  Norridgewook.  It  was  then 
about  the  12th  of  October. 

^  Here  a  small  fort  was  built,  and  a  small  division  left  in  gar- 
rison. A  series  of  terrible  disasters  ensued.  There  were  gales 
of  almost  wintry  wind,  floods  of  rain,  swollen  torrents,  swamps, 
rugged  hills,  tangled  forests,  and  failing  provisions.  There  was 
reason  to  fear  that  the  whole  array  would  actually  perish  of 
hunger  in  the  wilderness.    Many  barrels  of  food  were  lost,  with 

by  the  town  of  Falmouth,  obtained  an  order  from  Graves,  one  of  King  Qeorge'a 
admirals  lying  at  Boston,  to  burn  and  destroy  the  said  town. 

"  He  came  before  it  on  the  17th  of  October,  1775,  and  near  sunset  made  known 
his  infernal  errand,  by  a  flag,  with  a  letter  full  of  bail  English  and  worse  spelling' 
at  the  same  time  proposing  to  spare  the  town,  and  endeavor  to  get  the  order  t^ 
versed,  if  the  cannon  and  arms,  with  some  persons  as  hostages,  were  delivered  into 
his  hands.  The  inhabitants  assembled,  and  voted  by  no  means  to  submit  to  this 
Infamous  proposal.  Therefore  he  spent  the  next  day  In  cannonading,  bombarding, 
and  throwing  an  immense  quantity  of  carcasses  and  shells  into  the  defenceless 
town,  and  kindlmg  some  flres  with  torches,  whereby  more  than  three-qiiartera  o« 
the  buUdings  were  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  remaining  ones  greatly  torn  and 
damaged;  Dy  which  horrible  devastation  many  hundred  persons  wer«  reduced  to 
extreme  distress. 

"  If  you  do  not  like  the  words  execrable  scoundrel,  you  may  substitute  infammu 
tncendiary,  or  what  you  please."  —  Diary  of  Rev.  Samuel  Deane,  p.  241. 
1  History  of  Portland,  by  William  Willis,  p.  524. 


s  ■ 


882 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE 


silver,  clotlics,  guns,  and  ammunition.  Upon  reaching  the  moufh 
of  Dead  River,  fur  away  in  the  savage  wilderness,  Col.  Enos,  in 
command  of  the  rt.ir  guard,  and  having  tlie  sick  under  his  care, 
abandoned  the  enterprise,  and  returned.  He  had  with  hira 
about  one-fourth  of  the  army.  For  this  movement  he  was  at 
first  severely  denounced ;  but  a  court-martial  decided  that  he 
had  not  acted  unwisely  in  so  doing. 

Arnold,  with  his  small  force,  pressed  on  across  the  country, 
a  distance  of  about  one  hundred  miles,  toward  the  Chaudidre. 
He  had  to  force  his  way  through  wilJs  never  before  trodden  but 
by  Indians  and  the  beasts  of  the  forest.  On  the  80th  of  Octo- 
ber he  reached,  through  toils  and  sufferings  which  cannot  be 
adequately  described,  the  northern  end  of  Lako  Megantic, 
where  the  River  Chaudifiro  flows  fxom  that  vast  sheet  c  water. 
Their  distress  was  then  so  great,  and  their  remaining  provisions 
80  small,  that  Arnold  divided  all  the  supplies  among  the  compa- 
nies, and  directed  them  to  pret,s  on,  regardless  of  militery  order, 
in  search  of  the  Canadian  villages. 

For  a  month  they  toiled  along  without  seeing  a  house,  or  any 
human  being  save  their  own  disheartened  and  emaciated  com* 
panions.  Every  morsel  of  food  was  consumed  before  they  had 
arrived  within  thirty  miles  of  the  first  Canadian  village.  Th>^y 
killed  their  dogs,  and  devoured  them.  They  boiled,  and  then 
broiled  upon  the  fire  and  ate,  their  breeches,  moccasins,  and  bayo- 
net-belts, which  were  made  of  tanned  moose-hide.  On  the  4th 
of  November  they  reached  the  mouth  of  De  Loup  River.  In 
that  northern  latitude  it  was  cold,  dreary,  and  stormy.  Quebec, 
on  the  St.  Lawrence,  was  still  ninety  mites  north  of  them. 
Itiany  died  of  fatigue  and  hunger.  Often  a  man  would  drop 
down  in  such  utter  misery,  that  in  less  than  five  minutes  he 
would  be  dead. 

The  situation  of  the  army  was  awful.  To  retreat  was  im- 
possible ;  for  there  was  nothing  but  certain  starvation  before 
them  in  the  wilderness.  To  stop  where  they  were,  was  inevita- 
ble death.  To  march  forward  was  almost  hopeless.  They  were 
in  utter  destitution.  The  men  tottered  along  so  feebly  that  they 
could  scarcely  shoulder  a  gun.  Washington,  with  his  charac- 
teristic humanity,  had  instructed  these  troops  to  abstain  from 
every  act  of  violence  upon  the  people  of  Canada. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAiNE. 


888 


"  I  olmrge  you,"  he  wrote,  "  that  you  oonsider  yourselves  as 
marching,  not  through  an  enemy's  country,  bui  that  of  your 
frienda  and  brethren  ;  for  such  the  inhabitants  of  Ciinada  and 
the  Indian  nations  have  approved  themselves  in  tiiis  unhappy 
contest  between  Great  Britain  and  America." 

Col.  Arjiold  had  been  furnished  with  money,  in  ypecio,  to  the 
mount  of  about  four  thousand  dollars.  His  troops  now  began 
to  reach  thriving  Canadian  and  Indian  villages.  With  great 
'iheerfulness  the  inhabitfmts  supplied  him  with  food.  With 
recruited  energies  the  army  pressed  on,  hoping  to  find  Quebeo 
undefended  and  without  a  garrison.  On  the  0th  of  November 
they  reached  Point  Levi,  on  the  southern  bank  of  the  river 
opposite  Qnebec.  The  appearance  of  the  Amer..an  troops, 
emerging  from  the  vast  and  dreary  wilderness,  .  as  as  unex- 
pected as  if  they  had  descended  from  the  clouds.  It  is  said,  that, 
could  they  have  immediately  crossed  the  river,  Quebec  mir^ht 
have  been  taken.  ° 

But  the  men  were  greatly  exhausted.  Ther'>  was  a  high, 
piercing  wintry  wind,  roughening  the  wide  surface  of  the  stream. 
Boats  could  not  readily  be  procured.  Thus  the  golden  oppor- 
tunity was  lost.  The  British  authorities  fortified  the  city. 
Arnold  had  about  seven  hundred  men  at  Point  Levi,  fifty  of 
whom  were  friendly  Indians.  On  the  first  of  December,  Gen. 
Montgomery  arrived  with  three  armed  schooners,  six  hundred 
men,  and  a  supply  of  food,  clothing,  and  ammunition.  They 
made  a  united  attack  upon  Quebec,  on  the  31st  of  December. 
The  assailants  were  repelled,  Montgomery  fell,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans evacuated  Canada. 

The  General  C  )urt,  that  winter,  organized  Maine  into  a  mili- 
tary division.  A  brigadier-g<  neral  was  appointed  over  the  militia 
in  each  county.  All  able-bodied  males,  between  sixteen  and 
sixty,  were  enrolled  to  do  military  duty,  with  the  exception  of 
settled  ministers  of  the  gospel,  Quakers,  colored  men,  and 
Indians. 

The  awful  war  of  the  Revolution  was  raging  south  of  Maine, 
while  a  small  garrison  was  stationed  at  Falmouth  with  a  battery 
of  six  cannon.  The  cruelties  perpetrated  by  the  British  Gov- 
ernment were  so  great  that  every  hour  the  resentment  of  the 


884 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Americans,  against  the  unnatural  mother  country,  was  increas- 
ing. On  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  the  Continental  Congress 
declared  these  colonies  to  be  free,  sr.  /ereign,  and  independent. 

The  Indians  of  Maine  had,  thus  far,  remained  quiet.  Trading- 
houses  had  been  established  at  Fort  Pownal,  near  where  Bangor 
now  stands,  and  at  Machias.  The  Penobscot  and  Passama- 
quoddy  Indians  were  cordially  friendly  to  the  Americans.  Ten 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  tribes  still  farther  east  repaired  to  Massa- 
chusetts, and  entered  into  a  treaty  of  alliance  with  the  govern- 
ment, engaging  to  send  six  hundred  man  to  join  the  army  of 
Gen.  Washington.  The  small  settlements  of  Camden  and 
Machias  raised  two  hundred  men  for  the  defence  of  the  country. 
Thi"^y  men,  ten  of  whom  were  Indians,  were  stationed  at  Fort 
Pc  /nal  for  the  defence  of  the  valley  of  the  Penobscot. 

On  the  7  th  of  November,  1776,  the  town  of  Warren  was 
incorporated.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Gen.  Warren  who  fell 
at  Bunker  Hill.  This  was  the  thirty-fifth  town  of  the  State, 
and  was  the  first  one  which  had  been  incorporated  on  St. 
George's  River,  though  that  valley  had  been  settled  for  about 
forty  years.  There  were  for  many  years  two  settlements  in  this 
region,  —  one  at  Warren,  and  one  at  Thomaston.  St.  George's 
Fort  was  their  common  resort  in  times  of  peril.  They  were 
called  the  "Upper  and  Lower  Town","  In  the  year  1753, 
seventy  emigrants  from  Sterling,  in  Scotland,  sef-led  in  a 
cluster  in  this  vicinity.  Subsequently  their  villagb  took  the 
name  of  the  city  which  they  had  left. 

England  found  that  her  colonies  developed  imexpected  ener- 
gies. Our  cruisers  were  revnarkably  succes'sful.  During  the 
war  they  captured  prizes  to  the  amount  of  about  seven  million 
dollars.  Amidst  many  reverses  and  many  woes,  the  victory  at 
Trenton  filled  the  country  with  exultation.  Our  ally  France,  in 
the  spring  of  1777,  sent  to  the  colonies  a  large  amount  of  arms 
and  military  stores.  For  the  defence  of  the  coast  of  Maine, 
companies  were  raised  and  stationed  at  Falmouth,  Cape  Eliza- 

1  Warren  contains  twenty-seven  thousand  acres.  The  river  is  navigable  to 
Andrews  Pond,  for  vessels  of  one  hundred  tons.  Shad  and  ale  wives  were  for- 
merly taken  in  <mnieuse  quantities  in  the  river.  The  natives  marked  a  tree, 
near  Ae  first  falls,  above  which  they  forbade  the  English  to  fish.  —MS.  Narrative 
<^  Warren  by  Cyrus  Eaton,  a»  qxioted  by  Williamaon,  vol.  ii.  p.  456. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


88f 


beth,  and  Boothbay.  At  the  latter  place  there  was  a  battery 
of  five  cannon,  the  largest  of  which  was  a  twelve-pounder. 
They  were  supplied  with  fifty  rounds  of  cartridges.* 

Machias  became  a  very  important  place.  It  was  raised  to  a 
continental  establishment.  There  was  an  important  mill  privi- 
lege  here  which  attracted  settlers.  Three  hundred  volunteer 
soldiers  were  placed  there  in  garrison.  Ample  stores  for  trade 
with  the  Indians  were  shipped  to  that  place,  that  their  continued 


-LOWER   FAJ.LS,   KAST    MACHiAS,   MK. 


friendship  might  be  secured.     The  Indians  remained  friendly, 
a«d  many  of  them  enlisted  in  the  service  of  the  Americans. 

On  the  11th  of  January,  1777,  the  flourishing  plantation  of 
Fryeburg  was  incorporated.  The  place  had  renown  as  the 
former  seat  of  a  large  village  belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Sokokis 
Indians.  It  was  also  the  theatre  of  Lovewell's  disastrous  fight 
in  the  year  1725.     The  Indians  called  the  place  Pegwacket.* 


1  Bradford's  Mass.,  vol.  ii.  p.  133. 
25 


s  Williamson,  toL  U.  p.  409. 


886 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


On  the  20th  of  March,  Thcmaston  was  incorporated.  This 
made  the  thirty-seventh  town  in  the  State.  Its  Indian  name 
was  Georgeekeag.  Thomaston  received  its  name  from  a  brave 
officer  of  Massachusetts,  Major-Gen.  John  Thomas,  who  had 
died  the  preceding  May,  in  the  service  of  his  country.  The 
fort  in  this  place  gave  it  celebrity  above  any  other  town  in  the 
valley  of  the  St.  George.  In  1760  the  fort  was  so  crowded,  in 
consequence  of  the  Indian  war,  that  about  twenty  families  built 
two  rows  of  block-houses,  one  hundred  rods  from  the  fort,  and 
surrounded  them  with  palisades  ten  feet  high.  All  the  men 
served  alternately  as  guards  and  sentinels,  ever  ready  to  muster 
to  repel  an  attack. 

The  British  sent  four  war-vessels,  to  batter  down  Machias. 
They  anchored  about  a  mile  below  the  junction  of  East  and 
West  Machias  Rivers.  They  burned  two  dwelling-houses,  and 
several  other  buildings.  The  barges  then,  in  a  dead  calm, 
towed  two  of  the  vessels,  a  brig  and  a  sloop,  to  the  mouth  of 
Middle  River,  about  half  a  mile  below  the  fiiUs.  The  garrison, 
aided  by  the  Indians,  opened  a  deadly  fire  from  each  shore  upon 
the  barges,  and  drove  the  sailors  from  their  boats  on  board  the 
brig.  The  current  swept  her  ashore.  The  men  were  driven  by 
the  bullets,  from  the  deck  into  the  hold.  The  rising  tide  soon 
floated  the  brig  ;  but  the  fire  from  the  north  shore  was  kept  up 
so  briskly  that  the  men  could  not  work  her,  and  she  soon 
grounded  again. 

It  was  indeed  a  wonderful  scene  which  was  then  and  there 
witnessed.  There  were  fifty  Passaraaquoddy  Indians  engaged 
in  the  attack  upon  the  vessels.  It  was  congenial  work  for  them. 
They  could  run  along  the  shore,  hide  behind  the  trees,  stumps, 
and  logs,  and  take  deliberate  aim  at  their  foes,  without  en- 
dangering themselves.  Every  man  in  the  place,  capable  of 
bearing  arms,  rushed  to  the  conflict.  The  Indians  kept  up  an 
incessant,  shrill  war-whoop.  The  white  people  re-echoed  the 
shout.  These  yells,  from  foes  who  were  scarcely  visible,  echoing 
through  the  forest,  led  the  English  to  suppose  that  the  shores 
were  lined  with  thousands  of  savages. 

A  breeze  arose.  Aided  by  this  the  two  vessels  effected  a 
retreat  to  the  other  two  vessels  which  were  at  anchor.    The 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


887 


pflBcers,  surprised  at  the  vigor  of  the  resistance  which  they  had 
encountered,  after  the  delay  of  a  few  days  abandoned  the  enter- 
prise. The  Indians  merited  and  received  the  gratitude  of  the 
Americans  for  their  faithful  adherence  to  their  cause.  Had  they 
listened  to  the  appeals  of  the  English,  they  might  easily,  with 
their  aid,  have  destroyed  all  the  eastern  settlements.* 

In  the  year  1777,  Burgoyne's  surrender  caused  nine  thousand 
of  our  enemies  to  lay  down  their  arms.^  There  was  no  longer 
any  fear  of  the  invasion  of  Maine  from  Canada.  During  the 
progress  of  the  war  Maine  gained  much  celebrity  from  the  hardy 
and  skilled  seamen  she  furnished  our  infant  navy.  In  addition 
to  their  almost  perfect  seamanship,  they  were  generally  young 
men  of  good  character  and  habits.  Commodore  Samuel  Tucker, 
one  of  the  bravest  of  the  brave,  who  conveyed  in  a  Continental 
frigate  Hon.  John  Adams  as  American  envoy  to  France,  was 
a  native  of  Bristol,  Me.  Hon.  Mr.  Sprague,  in  his  eulogy  of 
Adams  and  Jefferson,  relates  the  foUewing  well-authenticated 
anecdote  of  an  event  which  occurred  on  the  passage  : 

On  the  •14th  of  March,  a  vessel  hove  in  sight.  Capt.  Tucker 
soon  came  up  with  it,  and  found  it  to  be  an  armed  British 
cruiser.  After  a  hotly  contested  battle  it  was  captured.  In  the 
midst  of  the  tumult  and  the  carnage,  Capt.  Tucker,  much  to  his 
surprise,  saw  his  illustrious  passenger  on  deck,  musket  in  hand, 
fighting  like  a  common  sailor.  The  captain,  who  was  a  very 
powerful  man,  rushed  up  to  Mr.  Adams,  and  in  excited  accents 
exclaimed,  "  You  here,  sir !  You  have  no  business  here,  sir  I 
I  am  commanded  to  carry  you  safely  to  Europe ;  and,  God  help- 
ing me,  I  will  do  it."  So  saying,  he  seized  Mr.  Adams  in  his 
arms,  and  carried  him,  as  though  he  were  a  child,  down  into 
the  cabin.' 

In  the  year  1778,  two  new  towns  were  incorporated.  The 
first  was  Coxhall,  subsequently  Lyman,  named  probably  in 
honor  of  Theodore  Lyman  of  Boston.     A  few  settlers  had 

1  "Great  credit  ia  due  to  the  Indians  for  their  rigid  adherence  to  our  cause ; 
although,  at  times,  the  commissary's  department  was  destitute  of  sufficient  pro- 
visions and  clothing  for  them." — Judge  Jones. 

«  The  British  force  surrendered  was  6,280.  Burgoyne's  other  losses  amounted 
to  2,933.    Total,  9,213.  —  flb/me«'«  American  Annals,  vol.  il.  p.  391. 

8  Life  of  John  Adams.    Lives  of  The  Presidents,  p.  f 4. 


888 


THE  HiarORT  OF  MAINE. 


penetrated  the  wilderness  at  this  place,  about  ten  years  before. 
The  other  town  was  Gray,  so  named  from  one  of  its  proprietors. 
Nearly  thirty  years  before,  an  attempt  had  been  made  to  establish 
a  settlement  here ;  but,  during  the  French  war,  the  plantation 
had  been  laid  waste.  In  all  these  new  towns  the  inhabitanta 
were  ardent  friends  of  liberty.  The  Tories  resided  in  the  more 
opulent  towns,  where  ofiacers,  under  the  British  Government, 
exerted  a  powerful  influence  over  the  aristocratic  circles  of 
society.  This  year  a  law  was  passed  confiscating  the  estates  of 
three  hundred  and  ten  of  the  Tories,  who  had  resided  in  the 
State,  but  who  had  many  of  them  fled,  taking  refuge  on  board 
the  British  fleet.  They  generally  deemed  it  impossible  that  the 
Americans  could  resist  the  power  of  Great  Britain,  and  doubted 
not  that  they  would  soon  be  returned  in  triumph  to  their  homes. 

The  battle  of  Monmouth,  on  the  28th  of  June,  1778,  gave 
new  hopes  to  the  Americans;  which  hopes  received  another 
impulse  from  the  arrival  of  a  French  fleet  of  twelve  ships  of  the 
line  and  six  frigates,  to  aid  them  in  their  struggle  against  their 
gigantic  foe.  The  territory  of  Massachusetts,  which  included 
Maine,  was  at  this  time  divided  into  three  distriqts,  the  North- 
ern, Middle,  and  Southern.  The  counties  of  York,  Cumberland, 
and  Lincoln  received  the  distinctive  name  of  the  "  District  of 
Maine."  Timothy  Langdou,  Esq.,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Wis- 
casset,  was  appointed  judge. 

In  1779  Pittston  was  incorporated.  It  was  the  fortieth  town 
in  the  State,  and  the  last  which  was  incorporated  by  the  General 
Jourt  under  the  royal  charter.  A  settlement  had  been  com- 
menced there  about  eighteen  years  before.  In  May  of  this 
year,  the  British  sent  a  fleet  of  seven  or  eight  war-ships,  to 
plunder  and  burn  the  settlements  on  the  Penobscot.  Nearly  a 
thousand  men  embarked  in  this  fleet  at  Halifax.  They  Irxnded 
on  the  12th,  at  Biguyduce,^  now  Castine,  and  commenced 
building  a  strong  fort  that  they  might  command  the  whole  of 
the  valley.  The  detested  Mowatt  was  assigned  to  this  station, 
with  three  sloops  of  war. 

This  movement  created  much  alarm.    The  General  Court  of 

1  This  name,  taken  from  a  French  gentleman,  Major  Bigaydaoe,  who  formerly 
resided  there,  was  pronounced  Baeeduce. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


889 


Massachusetts,  with  the  approval  of  the  Colonial  Government, , 
promptly  fitted  out  for  the  capture  of  the  port,  a  fleet  of  nineteen 
armed  vessels  and  twenty-four  transports.  The  fleet  carried 
three  hundred  and  forty-four  guns,  and  was  amply  supplied  with 
material  of  war.  The  command  of  the  expedition  was  intrusted 
to  Commodore  Saltonstall,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.  He  was  un- 
doubtedly a  patriot  and  a  brave  man  ;  but  he  was  sadly  deficient 
in  military  skill.  The  enterprise  proved  a  total  failure,  followed 
by  an  awful  loss  of  life  and  property.  It  is  very  clear  that  the 
fort  could  have  been  taken  had  proper  measures  been  adopted. 
Gens.  I-ovell  and  Wadsworth,  who  commanded  the  land  force, 
conducted  with  great  bravery,  but  they  were  not  supported  by 
the  commodore.  The  assaults  which  were  made  were  so  feeble 
that  the  garrison  was  enabled  to  strengthen  its  works,  and  to 
send  to  Halifax  for  aid. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  a  formidable  British  fleet  of  seven 
vessels  entered  the  harbor.  The  result  was  that  the  American 
fleet  was  annihilated.  Some  of  the  vessels  were  captured  by  the 
English.  Some  were  run  ashore  and  burned.  Nearly  all  were 
abandoned.  The  sailors  and  marines  commenced  a  retreat 
through  the  vast  wilderness,  to  the  Kennebec.  After  great  suf- 
fering, most  of  them  reached  the  forts  on  the  river.  This  utter 
defeat  was  extremely  humiliating.  The  General  Court,  after  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  aflair,  pronounced  sentence  in- 
capacitating Commodore  Saltonstall  from  ever  after  holding  a 
commission  in  the  service  of  the  State,  and  honorably  acquitting 
Gens.  Lovell  and  Wadsworth. 

The  British  now  seemed  to  be  securely  established  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Penobscot.  The  American  settlers,  on  the  banks 
and  the  island,  were  exposed  to  constant  insults  and  injuries. 
After  the  repulse  of  the  fleet,  the  British  sent  a  party  up  the 
river  to  Bucksport,  where  they  burned  five  dwelling-houses  and 
all  the  out-buildings,  and  returned  to  the  fort  with  the  plunder. 
The  people  of  the  struggling  little  settlement  in  Belfast  were 
plundered,  and  so  outrageously  abused  that  they  were  forced  to 
abandon  their  homes  and  all  their  possessions,  and  in  destitution 
and  tears  to  seek  refuge  where  they  could.  It  seems  difficult  to 
account  for  the  fact  that  British  officers,  who  had  wives  and 


890 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


children,  and  who  were  generally  gentlemen  hy  birth,  could  be 
guilty  of  such  inhumanity  as  to  burn  the  log  cabins  of  poor 
settlers,  rob  them  of  their  little  all,  and  drive  out  mothers, 
babes,  and  maidens  to  perish  of  hunger  and  exposure  in  the 
wilderness. 

There  was  a  poor  man  by  the  name  of  John  Gilky,  living 
upon  an  island.  He  was  absent,  and  only  his  wife  and  children 
remained  in  the  lonely  cabin.  A  boat's  crew  of  Englishmen 
landed.  They  plundered  his  house,  and  shot  his  five  cows, 
though  the  mother,  with  tears  and  on  her  knees,  implored  them 
to  spare  her  at  least  one  for  her  children.  These  men,  sent 
on  this  diabolical  mission  from  an  English  ship,  then  retired, 
leaving  the  family  in  the  depths  of  woe. 

An  English  soldier  fled  from  one  of  these  ships.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  he  was  in  favor  of  American  liberty,  and  did  not  like 
the  employment  he  was  in.  Faint  and  hungry  he  came  to  the 
house  of  Shubael  Williams.  The  kind-hearted  American,  poor 
as  he  was,  gave  him  a  seat  by  his  cabin-fire,  and  fed  him.  Wil- 
liams was  seized  by  the  British,  and  was  charged  with  encoura- 
ging the  man  to  desert.  These  English  officers,  who  called 
themselves  civilized  and  even  Christian  men,  sentenced  the  poor 
man  to  receive  five  hundred  lashes  at  the  whipping-post.*  The 
writer  regi-ets  to  record  such  deeds,  but  history  is  unfaithful  to 
its  trust  if  atrocious  acts  are  not  held  up  to  public  execration. 
Many  Tories  from  Massachusetts  fled  to  this  region,  to  be  under 
the  protection  of  the  English.  All  tlie  eastern  towns  were  now 
in  great  peril  from  a  foe  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  Indians. 
The  General  Court  sent  three  hundred  men  'to  Falmouth,  two 
hundred  to  Camden,  and  a  hundred  to  Machias.  The  command 
of  this  eastern  department  was  assigned  to  Gen.  Wadsworth. 
His  headquarters  were  at  Thomaston. 

The  island  of  Mount  Desert  suffered  severely  from  the  rav- 
ages of  the  enemy.  Boats'  crews  were  often  landing,  shooting 
the  cattle,  and  plundering  the  helpless  inhabitants.  Bath,  the 
forty-first  town  in  the  State,  was  incorporated  in  the  year  1781. 
It  had  previously  been  considered  the  second  parish  of  George- 


WllllaiT.'son'8  History  of  Maine,  vol.  ii.  p.  430. 


TffE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


391 


town.  The  first  settlement  here  was  in  about  the  year  1670. 
The  land  was  purchased  of  two  sagamores,  Elderunkin  and 
Nenement. 

Bath  has  become  one  of  the  most  important  commercial  towns 
in  Maine.  It  is  admirably  located  on  the  western  bank  of  Ken- 
nebec River,  twelve  miles  from  its  mouth.  The  largest  ships 
can  float  in  its  secure  harbor,  which  is  never  impeded  by  ice. 
Capt.  George  Weymouth,  as  we  have  mentioned  in  the  early 
part  of  this  history,  ascended  the  river  to  this  point,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1605.     He  landed,  with  a  boat's  crew,  and  wrote, 

"  We  passed  over  very  good  ground,  pleasant  and  fertile,  and  fit  for  pas- 
ture, having  but  little  wood,  and  that  oak,  like  that  standing  in  our  pastures 
in  England,  good  and  great,  fit  timber  for  any  use.  There  were  also  some 
small  birch,  hazel,  and  brake,  which  could  easily  be  cleared  away,  and  made 
good  arable  land."  * 

Ship-building  has  been  its  principal  business.  In  the  year 
1847  it  received  a  city  charter,  and  in  1854  became  the  shire- 
town  of  Sagadahoc  County. 

During  the  vicissitudes  of  the  war.  Gen.  Wadsworth  was 
residing  in  a  secluded  habitation,  on  the  banks  of  a  small  rill  in 
Thomaston.  His  family  consisted  of  Mrs.  Wadsworth,  an  infant 
daughter,  a  son  five  years  of  age,  and  a  young  lady,  Miss  Fenno, 
a  friend  of  Mrs.  Wadsworth.  Six  soldiers  were  on  guard.  The 
English  at  Biguyduce  heard  of  his  defenceless  condition,  and 
sent  a  party  of  twenty-five  men,  under  Lieut.  Stockton,  to  cap- 
ture him.  It  was  the  18th  of  Febru-"ry.  The  ground  was 
covered  with  snow,  and  it  was  intensely  cold. 

At  midnight  the  party  approached  the  house.  The  sentinel, 
outside  at  the  door,  seeing  such  a  band  approach,  rushed  into 
the  kitchen,  which  was  used  as  a  guard-room.  The  English  dis- 
charged a  volley  of  bullets  through  the  open  door.  The  house 
was  immediately  surrounded,  the  windows  dashed  in,  and  vol- 
leys discharged  into  the  sleeping  apartments  of  the  general  and 
of  Miss  Fenno.  The  general,  armed  with  a  brace  of  pistols,  a 
fusee,  and  a  blunderbuss,  fought  with  great  intrepidity,  driving 
the  foe  from  before  his  window  and  from  the  door.     The  attack 

*  Maine  Historical  Collection,  vol.  y.    AtWrsss  by  John  McKeen,  Esq. 


192 


THE  HIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


was  renewed  through  the  entry.  The  general  defended  him- 
self with  a  bayonet  until  a  bullet  passed  through  his  arm, 
rendering  him  helpless.  He  then  surrendered.  He  would  have 
been  shot  down  in  cold  blood  had  not  an  officer  pushed  aside 
the  gun  of  the  assassin. 

Awful  was  the  spectacle  then  witnessed.  The  general  and 
nearly  all  of  his  guard  were  wounded,  and  their  persons  and 
the  floors  were  stained  with  blood.  One  poor  creature,  writh- 
ing in  anguish  from  a  dreadful  wound,  begged  them  to  shoot 
him  and  thus  end  his  torture.  The  windows  and  the  doors  were 
dashed  in,  and  the  house  was  on  fire.  The  thickly  flying  bul- 
lets fortunately  struck  neither  of  the  females  nor  the  children. 
The  general  had  sprung  from  his  bed,  and  was  in  his  night- 
dress. The  bullet  had  struck  his  elbow,  and  the  arm,  from 
which  the  blood  was  gushing,  hung  helpless  at  his  side ;  and  he 
announced  a  surrender.  An  English  officer  came  into  his  room 
with  a  lighted  candle,  and  said,  "  You  have  defended  yourself 
bi'avely.  But  we  must  be  in  haste.  We  will  help  you  put  on 
your  clothes." 

The  excruciating  pain  of  his  wound  rendered  it  impossible 
for  him  to  wear  his  coat.  It  was  given  to  a  soldier  to  carry, 
and  a  blanket  was  spread  over  his  shoulders  to  protect  him  from 
the  piercing  wintry  blast.  His  wife  begged  permission  to  exam- 
ine and  dress  the  wound.  This  was  not  permitted.  A  handker- 
chief was  bound  around  the  arm  to  stay,  in  some  degree,  the 
rapid  gushing  of  the  blood. 

Several  of  the  British  soldiers  were  wounded.  Two  of  them 
were  placed  upon  the  general's  horse,  which  was  brought  from 
the  barn,  while  he,  faint  from  loss  of  blood,  was  compelled  to 
walk  four  miles,  through  the  snow,  to  the  vessel  from  which 
the  party  had  landed.  After  toiling  along  for  a  mile,  his 
strength  entirely  gave  out.  As  one  of  the  wounded  British 
soldiers  who  was  riding  was  apparently  dying,  they  left  him 
at  a  house,  and  the  general  was  placed  upon  the  horse  behind 
the  other  soldier.  When  they  reached  the  shore,  off  which  the 
vessel,  which  was  an  English  pi"ivateer,  lay  at  anchor,  the  cap- 
tain approached  him,  and  exclaimed  ferociously,  "  You  damned 
rebel,  go  and  help  them  launch  the  boat,  or  I  will  run  you 
through  \7ith  my  sword." 


I 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


898 


I 


Gen.  Wadsworth  replied,  "I  am  a  prisoner,  wounded  and 
helpless.     You  may  treat  me  as  you  please." 

Lieut.  Stockton  came  promptly  to  the  rescue,  and,  addressing 
the  brutal  fellow,  said,  "  Your  conduct  shall  be  reported  to  your 
superiors.  The  prisoner  is  a  gentleman.  He  has  made  a  brave 
defence.     He  is  entitled  to  be  treated  honorably." 

The  general  was  granted  a  berth  in  the  cabin,  and  such  other 
comforts  as  circumstances  would  allow.  The  next  day  the  ves- 
sel reached  Biguyduce.  The  place  was  thronged  with  British 
officers,  sailors,  soldiers,  and  Tories^  who  had  taken  refuge  there. 
They  crowded  the  shore  to  see  the  captives  landed,  and  assailed 
them  with  shouts  of  rage  and  contempt. 

Protected  from  mob  violence  by  a  guard,  they  were  marched 
half  a  mile  to  the  fort.  A  surgeon  dressed  the  general's  wounds, 
and  he  was  treated  with  great  humanity.  Gen.  Campbell,  who 
commanded  at  the  fort,  expressed  his  high  admiration  of  the 
heroic  defence  Gen.  Wadsworth  had  made  against  such  fearful 
odds.  "  I  have  heard,"  he  said,  "  of  the  treatment  you  received 
from  the  captain  of  the  privateer,  and  I  shall  compel  him  to 
make  to  you  a  suitable  apology." 

A  comfortable  room  was  assigned  him,  he  breakfasted  and  dined 
at  the  table  of  the  commandant,  and  books  were  furnished  him 
to  relieve  the  weariness  of  his  imprisonment.  There  was  an 
encampment  of  American  soldiers  at  Camden,  on  the  western 
side  of  Penobscot  Bay,  about  twenty-one  miles  from  Biguyduce. 
Lieut.  Stockton  allowed  his  prisoner  to  send  to  that  station, 
which  was  but  four  miles  from  the  place  where  he  had  been 
captured,  a  letter  to  his  wife,  and  another  to  the  governor  of 
Massachusetts,  by  a  flag  of  truce. 

Gen.  Wadsworth  felt  extreme  anxiety  in  reference  to  his 
family.  He  had  been  so  hurried  away  that  he  knew  not  their 
fate.  At  the  close  of  a  fortnight  he  learned  that  they  were 
safe.  His  little  son,  buried  in  the  bed-clothes,  had  escaped  the 
bullets  which  h^d  been  flying  so  thickly  through  the  chamber. 
The  wounds  of  the  general  proved  to  be  very  severe.  It  was 
five  weeks  before  he  could  move  about.  He  wished  for  the 
customary  permission  of  going  abroad  on  his  paroje ;  but  this 
privilege  was  denied  him. 


894 


THE  niSTORY  OF  ilAlNE. 


After  close  confineraent  of  two  months,  his  wife  aud  Miaa 
Fenno  were  allowed  to  make  him  a  short  visit.  He  then  ascer- 
tained that  le  was  to  be  sent  to  England,  to  be  tried  as  a  rebel. 
The  British  authorities  were  treating  the  American  prisoners 
of  war  with  the  utmost  brutality.  If  sent  to  London,  there 
was  but  slight  chance  of  his  escaping  the  gibbet.  About  this 
time  Major  Benjamin  Burton  was  captured,  and  was  imprisoned 
in  the  same  room  with  Gen.  Wadsworth.  He  was  a  very  brave 
man,  who  had  boen  attached  to  a  fortress  in  the  present  town 
of  Gushing.  His  intrepidity  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
English,  and  excited  their  malevolence.  It  was  soon  evident 
that  they  were  both  to  be  transported  to  England. 

Goaded  by  this  peril,  they  effected  their  escape  through  toils 
and  sufferings,  scarcely  exceeded  by  the  world-renowned  adven- 
tures of  Baron  Trenck.  They  were  in  a  grated  room  within 
the  fort.  The  walls  of  the  fort  were  twenty  feet  high,  sur- 
rounded by  a  ditch.  Sentinels  were  stationed  upon  the  walls, 
and  on  the  outside  of  the  portals  which  opened  from  the  for- 
tress. Guards  were  also  stationed  at  the  door  of  their  room. 
Outside  of  the  ditch  there  was  another  set  of  soldjers,  who  were 
patrolling  through  the  night.  The  fort  was  on  a  peninsula,  and 
a  picket-guard  was  placed  at  the  isthmus  to  prevent  any  escape 
to  the  mainland.  Under  these  circumstances  it  would  seem 
that  escape  were  impossible. 

With  a  penknife  and  a  gimlet,  they,  in  three  weeks'  labor,  cut 
an  aperture  through  the  pine-board  ceiling  of  their  room. 
Every  cut  was  concealed  by  paste  made  of  bread  ^moistened  in 
their  mouths.  On  the  18th  of  June  the  long  wished  for  night 
of  darkness,  thunder,  and  tempest  came.  The  midnight  gale, 
with  flooding  rain,  drove  all  to  seek  shelter.  At  twelve  o'clock 
they  removed  the  panel  which  they  had  cut  out.  By  the  aid 
of  a  chair  they  crept  into  an  entry  above.  The  darkness  was 
like  that  of  Egypt.  They  groped  their  way  along,  and  soon 
became  hopelessly  separated.  Wadsworth  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  top  of  the  wall  by  an  oblique  path  used  by  the  soldiers. 
Fastening  his  blanket  to  a  picket,  he  let  himself  down  until  he 
dropped  into  the  ditch.  Cautiously  creeping  between  the  sentry 
boxes,  he  reached  the  open  field. 


' 


THE  HIBTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


395 


The  gale  still  swept  the  plains,  and  the  rain  fell  in  floods. 
He  groped  his  way  through  rocks  and  stumps  and  brush,  till  he 
reached  an  old  abandoned  guard-house  on  tlie  shore  of  the  back 
cove.  This  was  the  rendezvous  where  the  two  friends  had 
agreed  to  meet.  He  waited  half  an  hour ;  but  as  Major  Burton 
did  not  appear  he  sadly  gave  him  up  as  lost.  It  was  low  water. 
He  waded  across  the  cove,  which  was  a  mile  in  width,  the  water 
often  reaching  nearly  to  his  armpits.  Thence  he  pressed  on 
another  mile,  through  a  road  which  he  had  formerly  caused  to 
be  cut  for  the  removal  of  cannon. 

The  sun  was  now  rising.  He  was  still  on  the  eastern  banks 
of  the  Penobscot,  about  eight  miles  above  the  fort.  It  was  a 
beautiful  June  morning.  The  smiles  of  God  seemed  to  be  rest- 
ing upon  a  world  which  its  wicked  inhabitants  were  filling  with 
misery.  At  that  moment  the  general,  to  his  inexpressible  joy, 
saw  his  companion  approaching.    The  meeting  was  rapturous. 

They  found  a  boat  upon  the  shore.  With  it  they  crossed  the 
broad  river,  and  landed  on  the  western  bank,  just  below  Orphan 
Island.  They  had  but  just  landed,  when  a  barge  of  the  enemy 
was  seen  in  the  distance,  evidently  in  pursuit.  Gen.  Wads- 
worth  had  a  small  pocket  compass.  Guided  by  this  they  directed 
their  course  in  a  south-west  direction,  and  after  three  days  of 
toil  and  suffering  reached  the  habitations  of  American  settlers. 
They  obtained  horses,  and  were  soon  with  their  friends  in 
Thomaston.^ 


*(Jen.  Paleg  Wadsworth  was  born  in  Duxbury,  Mass.,  May  6,  1748,  and 

fiaduated  at  Harvard  College  in  the  class  of  17G9.  Immediately  after  the 
attle  of  Lexington  ho  raised  a  company  of  minute-men,  and  was  second  in 
command  of  the  expedition  against  Biguyduce.  He  came  to  Falmouth  in 
1784,  and  in  1785-0  built  the  first  brick  house  in  the  town,  still  standing,  and 
in  which  the  poet  Longfellow  passed  his  youth.  In  1792  he  was  elected  the 
first  representative  to  Congress  from  the  Cumberland  district.  He  died  in 
Hiram,  Me.,  in  1829,  at  the  ago  of  eighty-one.  He  was  the  maternal  grand- 
father of  Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow,  the  poet,  his  daughter,  Zilpah, 
having  married  Stephen  Longfellow,  the  poeVs  father,  in  1804. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


1   < 


I 
o 


THE  WAB  OP   1812,  AND  THE  SEPAiiATION. 

Expenses  of  th«War— The  Question  of  Separation— Increase  of  Towm  — 
Counties  Formed  —  Bowdoln  College  chartered  —  The  Farmlngton  Schools 

—  Lewlston  —  Augusta  and  Its  Institutions — WatervlUe  —  Gardiner — The 
War  of  1812  —  Causes  of  the  War —Incidents  of  the  Conflict— Increase  of 
Population  and  Towns  — The  Penobscot  Valley  ravaged  —  General  Alann 

—  Scenes  in  Castlne  -  Peace  —  The  "Ohio  Fever"  — The  Separation  — 
Maine  an  Independent  State. 

THROUGH  all  this  dreadful  conflict  with  England^  the  In- 
dians of  Maine  remained  firm  in  their  alliance  with  the 
Americans.     The  coasts  were    ravaged  by  English    cruisers. 
This  led  many  settlers  to  push  farther  back  into  the  wildemoss. 
Four  years  after  the  capture  of  Burgoyne,  the  British  army,  under 
Lord  Cornwallis,  on  the  27th  of  October,  1781,  surrendered  at 
Yorktown,  to  the  combined  force  of  France  and  America.    The 
British  were  vanquished.    Their  cause  was  hopeless.    A  treaty 
of  peace  was  signed  at  Paris,  on  the  3d  of  September,  1783.    All 
hostilities  ceased,  and  the  British  armies  were  withdrawn  from 
our  shores.    England,  in  this  senseless  war,  sacrificed  one  hun- 
dred thousand  lives  of  her  own  subjects  and  mercenaries,  and 
added  a  sum  amounting  to  six  hundred  million  dollars  to  her 
national  debt.     America  gained  her  independence  at  an  expense 
of  the  lives  of  fifty  thousand  of  her  patriotic  citizens,  and  a  debt 
of  forty-five  million  dollars ;  and  chis  was  in  addition  to  indi- 
vidual losses  and  expenditures  which  can  never  be  adequately 
estimated.  ^ 
The  Indians  had  won  the  kindly  feelings  of  all.    But  they 


«  "Vnilianison.  vol.  il.  p.  604 ;  Mass.  Hist  CoU.,  vol.  iL  p.  402. 

397 


398 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


were  no  longer  freeholders  of  the  soil.  They  were  allowed 
restricted  territory,  and  all  other  regions  were  in  the  possession 
of  the  State.  The  District  of  Maine  embraced,  it  was  estimated, 
thirty  million  acres.  An  immense  tide  of  emigration  began  to 
flow  in  upon  these  rich  lands.  A  day  of  prosperity  had  dawned. 
In  1784  Machias,  which  had  been  deemed  the  most  noted  plan- 
tation in  Maine,  was  incorporated.  It  took  its  name  from  a 
river  passing  through  it,  which  the  Indians  called  Mechises. 
The  Tories  of  Maine  generally  retired  across  the  Bay  of  Fundy, 
to  the  English  province  of  New  Brunswick. 

In  March,  1785,  James  Bowdoin  was  elected  governor  of 
Massachusetts.  Three  new  towns  were  incorporated  this  year,  — 
Shapleigh,  Parsonsfield,  and  Standish.  The  last  was  named  in 
honor  of  the  renowned  Capt.  Miles  Standish.  The  question 
arose  respecting  the  separation  of  the  District  of  Maine  from  the 
State  of  Massachusetts.  But  the  inhabitants  of  Maine  were  so 
widely  scattered,  that  it  was  impossible  to  obtain  an  expression 
of  public  opinion.  Conventions  were  held,  addresses  issued,  and 
various  measures  adopted,  to  form  and  to  ascertain  the  views 
of  the  people. 

In  the  year  1786,  Falmouth  was  divided.    The  peninsula  and 
several  of  the  adjoining  islands  were  incorporated  into  a  town 
by  the  name  of  Portland.     For  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty 
years  there  had  been  cabins  and  hunting  camps  on  the  Neck. 
Turner  and  Union  were  also  incorporated  this  year.   In  the  town 
of  Union  there  were  but  seventeen  families.    The  whole  popula- 
tion amounted  to  but  one  hundred  and  fifty  souls.    Great  efforts 
v/ere  made  to  ascertain,  by  a  general  convention,  the  wishes  of 
the  people  of  the  State  in  reference  to  separation.     It  was 
found  that  the  whole  number  of  towns  and  plantations  in  the 
State  amounted  to  ninety-three.     This  was  in  the  year  1787. 
At  the  convention  nine  hundred  and  ninety-four  votes  were 
thrown.     Six  hundred  and  forty-five  of  these  were  in  favor  of 
separation.     But,  when  the  motion  was  made  to  petition  the 
legislature  for  a  separation,  it  was  lost.     The  question  was  re- 
considered ;  and,  after  a  very  hot  debate,  it  was  carried  by  a 
majority  of  but  two  votes.     The  majority  was  not  deemed  suf- 
ficient for  pressing  so  important  a  measure.     Massachusetts, 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


399 


desiring  to  retain  the  district,  was  very  generous  in  its  legisla- 
tion. Wild  lands  were  exempted  from  taxation.  Roads  were 
constructed  at  the  public  expense.  Every  permanent  settler 
was  granted  a  deed  for  a  hundred  acres  of  land,  upon  paying 
five  dollars.  During  this  year,  Penobscot,  Limerick,  and  Water- 
borough  were  incorporated.  Penobscot  embraced  the  present 
town  of  Castine. 

In  the  year  1788,  a  convention  in  Boston  adopted  the  Federal 
Constitution,  and  abolished  slavery  from  the  Commonwealth. 
Maine  was  entitled  to  send  one  representative  to  Congress. 

Harvard  University  had  long  been  established.  It  was 
deemed  important  that  a  literary  institution  of  high  order 
should  be  established  at  Maine.  The  legislature  appropriated 
the  township  of  Dixmont  for  that  purpose.  Bowdoin,  Orring- 
ton,  Nomdgewock,  Greene,  Fairfield,  Canaan,  and  Noblebor- 
ough  were  incorporated  this  year. 

The  next  year,  1789,  a  great  cluster  of  towns  came  into  being ; 
namely,  Sedgwick,  Cushing,  Islesborough,  Bluehill,  Deer  Isle, 
Freeport,  Trenton,  Goldsborough,  Sullivan,  Mount  Desert,  Dur- 
ham, Frankport,  and  Vinalhaven.  This  rapid  progress  indicates 
the  prosperity  of  the  State.  In  1789  George  Washington  was 
elected  President  of  the  United  States,  and  was  inaugurated  in 
New  York  on  the  30th  of  April.  The  rapid  increase  of  towns 
led  to  the  formation,  in  1789,  of  two  new  counties,  Hancock  and 
Washington.  Penobscot,  now  Castine,  became  the  shire-town 
of  Hancock,  and  Machias  of  Washington  County. 

A  federal  census  was  taken  this  year,  when  it  was  found  that 
the  population  of  Maine  had  reached  the  unexpected  number 
of  ninety-six  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty  souls.  The 
territory  was  now  formally  organized  into  a  district,  and  invested 
with  various  rights  of  jurisdiction.  Both  the  lumber  and  the  fur 
business  continued  very  profitable.  In  the  year  1791,  three 
towns  were  incorporated,  Camden,  Bangor,  and  Readfield.  The 
Indian  name  of  the  first  of  these  was  Megunticook.  Its  new 
name  was  given  in  honor  of  Lord  Camden,  a  warm  friend  of  tho 
Americans  during  the  Revolution.^ 

i  When  the  royal  proclamation  was  issued  to  employ  tho  savages  against  the 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


401 


^  Bangor  had  been  called  Kenduskeag.  Rev.  Seth  Noble  was 
influential  in  obtaining  the  act  of  incorporation.  It  had  been 
urged  upon  him  that  the  town  should  be  called  Sunbury,  in 
reference  to  its  charming  location.  But  he,  not  fancying  the 
name,  took  the  liberty  of  substituting  that  of  his  favorite  tune, 
Bangor.2 

Readfield,  the  seventy-fourth  town  of  the  State,  was  taken 
from  Winthrop.  It  subsequently  became  the  seat  of  the  Maine 
Wesleyan  Seminary.  This  is  one  of  the  most  important  and 
flourishmg  literary  institutions  in  the  State.  It  is  alike  dis- 
tmguished  for  its  intellectual,  its  moral,  and  its  religious  influ- 
ence. Though  it  was  not  instituted  until  the  year  1825,  its 
graduates  may  now  be  found  in  almost  every  State  in  the  Union. 
The  reader  will  find,  annexed,  a  very  correct  pictorial  sketch 
of  the  seminary  buildings. 

The  next  year  six  towns  were  incorporated.  Monmouth, 
which,  as  a  plantation,  had  been  called  Wales,  took  its  new 
name  in  memory  of  the  celebrated  battle  fought  in  June,  1778. 
Here  also  an  academy  was  established  in  1809,  which  obtained 
much  celebrity  throughout  the  State. 

Sidney  was  taken  from  Vassalborough.  Limington  had  pre- 
viously been  called  the  Ossipee  Plantation.  Hebron  with  its 
Biblical  name  was  called  originally  Philip  Gore.  Here  also 
there  was  a  very  important  academy,  endowed  with  a  half 
township  of  land.  Bucksport  had  been  called  Buckstown,  from 
one  of  its  first  settlers,  Col.  Jonathan  Buck.  The  vfllage  is 
beautifully  situated  ou  the  eastern  banks  of  the  Penobscot,  and 
enjoyc  one  of  the  finest  harbors  that  magnificent  river  aJGFords. 
Mount  Vernon  commemorates  the  sacred  spot  on  the  Potomac, 
which  every  American,  in  all  time,  will  approach  with  veneration. 
Two  towns  only,  from  the  vast  expanse  of  wild  lands,  were 
incorporated  in  the  year  1793.  Buckfield  had  been  called  Num- 
ber Five.     Benjamin  Spaulding  first  entered  its  forests  in  the 


..  Tir  ?  \  P'°P°'*?°°  ""g'^t  t°  ^  damned.  It  holds  forth  a  war  of  revenge,  such 
u  Moloch  in  Pandemonium  advised.  It  wiU  fix  an  inveterate  hatred  ik  the 
Americans  against  the  very  name  of  Englishmen.  This  will  be  left  a  legacy,  from 
lather  to  son,  to  the  latest  posterity."  * 

1     Tirminn^n^..        .^1       it       _         »»» 

as 


o 


p^ 


a 


THE  n  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


463 


year  1776,  and  cut  down  a  few  trees.  With  several  associates 
he  purchased  the  townsliip  in  1788,  of  the  Commonwealth,  for 
two  shillings  an  acre.  Paris  was  formerly  Number  Four.  The 
axe  was,  for  the  first  time,  heard  in  its  densely  wooded  solitudes 
in  the  year  1779.  It  became  eventually  the  shire-town  of 
Oxford  County. 

Upon  the  commencement  of  the  French  Revolution  in  1789, 
(here  was  much  division  of  public  opinion  in  Maine.  The 
Americans  saw  no  French  newspapers.  All  the  information 
they  could  gain,  of  the  tremendous  events  which  were  trans- 
piring, was  drawn  from  the  British  press.  Very  many  were 
consequently  in  sympathy  with  the  British  Government,  in  its 
warfare  against  the  new  institutions  in  France.  But  there  were 
also  many  in  sympathy  with  the  French  people,  in  their  efforts 
to  throw  off  the  despotic  yoke  of  their  ancient  kings. 

In  the  year  1794,  the  population  of  Maine  had  so  increased 
that  the  District  was  entitled  to  three  representatives  in  Con- 
gress. On  the  24th  of  June  of  this  year,  a  charter  was  granted 
to  Bowdoin  College.  A  Protestant  from  France,  whose  French 
name  was  Pierre  Bauduoin,  but  who  took  the  English  name  of 
Bowdoni,  fed  from  Catholic  pprsecution  to  Falmouth.  He  soon 
died  in  Boston,  leaving  a  widow  and  family  in  charge  of  his 
eldest  son  James.  This  son  became  very  wealthy,  and,  at  the 
age  of  seventy,  bequeathed  his  large  estate  to  his  two  sons, 
James  and  William. 

James  became  governor  of  Massachusetts,  increased  his  prop- 
erty, and  left  a  large  fortune  to  his  son  James.  This  wealthy 
young  man  graduated  at  Oxford  University  in  England,  travelled 
extensively  through  Europe ;  purchased  a  large  and  very  valua- 
ble library,  particularly  rich  in  French  literature  and  science. 
He  also  had  a  gallery  of  seventy  elegant  paintings,  and  a  col- 
lection of  fine  models  of  crystallography.  All  these  he  be- 
queathed to  Bowdoin  College,  with  seven  thousand  acres  of 
land,  and  other  property  to  the  amount  of  about  five  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars,  and  several  valuable  articles  of  philosophi- 
cal apparatus.* 


'  Decade  of  Addresses,  by  Dr.  Allen,  p.  2G7. 


404 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE 


Rev.  Joseph  McKeen,  D.D.,  was  the  first  president  of  the 
college.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  noble  character  and  his 
superior  attainments.  Under  the  succeeding  presidents,  the 
college  has  taken    ank  among  the  highest  institutions  in  onr 


land.     This  is  not  the  place  to  enter  into  the  details  of  its  his- 
tory; but  we  cannot  refrain  from  saying  that  the  incumbent 

VX     buis     visizz-.;ui(;    auu    x^opv/usiuxv    uiuua,    xu    xuiv,     vjiw.    viiaui 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINS. 


405 


berlain  had  alike  distinguished  himself  as  a  college  professor, 
as  a  major-general  guiding  patriot  troops  on  the  field  of  battle, 
as  governor  of  the  State  of  Maine,  and  as  president  of  the 
college.  The  accompanying  illustration  gives  a  correct  view  of 
the  college  buildings. 

Maine  seems  to  have  been  regarded  as  a  peculiarly  favored 
region.  Population  flowed  into  it  so  fast,  that,  in  the  next 
thirteen  months,  nineteen  new  towns  were  incorporated,  nearly 


SCENERY  AT  ABBOTT  FAMILY  SCHOOL,  FABMINGTON,  ME. 

all  of  which  contained  at  least  five  hundred  inhabitants.  One 
of  these,  Farmington,  deserv'es  rather  special  notice.  Upon  the 
rich  meadows  through  which  the  sandy  river  glides,  the  corn- 
fields of  the  Canabus  Indians  formerly  waved  in  the  breeae. 
This  beautiful  village  has  become  quite  renowned  for  its  cluster 
of  literary  ii)  titutions. 

ttiUiii!^Li.n  xxuaucuij-  v.aa  iin;ui-^;umica  in  j.oui,ana  lor aDOul 


K 

H 
<! 

J 

£ 

s 

lit 


o 

00 


m:iTORY  OF  MAWK. 


407 


u 

i 

H 

rn 

es 


s 

o 

< 


o 


O 


half  a  century  enjoyed  i\  high  reputation  for  its  olasoioal,  math- 
ematical, and  scientific  instruction.  In  August,  1864  it  was 
merged  into  the  firsit  state  normal  school,  which  has  been  effi- 
ciently and  successfully  managed  from  the  start.  Up  to  1892,  it 
has  gi  \duated,  in  the  regular  course,  596  female  and  174  male, 
and  in  the  advance  course,  24  female  and  9  male,  teachers,  whose 
improved  work  in  our  common  schools  has  raised  them  to  a 
high  rank.     A  view  of  the  building  is  given  on  page  404. 

Another  institution,  a  family  school  for  boys,  called  Little 
Blue,  has  obtuined  celebrity  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the  state. 
The  most  prominent  object  in  the  landscape  of  this  region  is 
Jlount  Blue.  Upon  the  grounds  upon  which  the  beautiful  clus- 
ter of  school  edifices  is  reared,  there  is  a  winding  brook,  a  small 
pond,  and  a  very  singular  natural  mound,  seventy  or  eighty  feet 
high,  covered  with  dense  forest.  To  this  mound  the  name  of 
Little  Blue  was  given,  and  hence  the  name  of  the  school.  The 
institution  is  sometimes  called  the  "Abbott  Family  School,"  as 
the  original  building  was  the  residence  of  the  Rev.  Jacob  Ab- 
bott; and  his  brother  Samuel  established  the  school.  It  is 
intpossible  without  a  series  of  views,  to  give  a  correct  idea  of 
the  varied  and  picturesque  beuaty  of  the  grounds.  See  one 
view  on  page  405  and  principal  buildings  on  opposite  page. 

A  popular  educational  seminary  was  established  in  1868  in 
Farmington  by  the  sisters,  Julia  H.  and  Sara  R.  May,  who  evin- 
ced a  remarkable  aptitude  for  the  work.  At  length  a  valuable 
donation  was  received  from  Dr.  Abraham  Wendell,  a  native  of 
the  place,  though  residing  in  Peru,  S.  A. ;  a  charter  was  obtained 
1870,  under  the  title  of  Wendell  Institute.  In  1881  at  the 
earnest  solicitation  of  friends,  who  built  and  presented  them  a 
building,  they  removed  to  Strong,  their  native  place,  and  con- 
tinued till  1892,  Forty-five  of  their  pupils  have  entered  colleges. 

In  the  spring  of  1870,  a  family  school  for  girls  was  started  by 
Miss  Lucy  G.  Belcher  in  Farmington.  and  the  buildings  shown 
on  page  408  were  dedicated  Dec.  26, 1871,  by  the  name  of  "The 
Willows,"  from  a  magnificent  row  of  willow  trees  fronting  the 
grounds.    It  was  successfully  continued  till  1875,  when  it  was 


HISTORY  OF  MAINE.  409 

discontinued.  In  1887  the  property  was  purchased  by  an  as- 
sociation, rao8tly  citizens  of  Farraington,  and  converted  into  a 
hotel,  known  as  Hotel  Willows. 

Farmington  has  one  of  the  best  systems  of  graded  public 
schools  in  the  state.  A  handsome  two-story  with  basement 
wooden  building  contains  the  high,  grammar,  and  intermediate 
grades ;  while  the  building  formerly  tlie  Woudell  Institute,  con- 
tains the  first  and  second  primary  grades.  Young  men  and 
ladies  are  fitted  for  college  in  the  high  school. 

Of  the  new  towns  incorporated  in  1794,  Alfred  was  named 
horn  Alfred  the  Great.  Bridgeton  took  its  name  from  Mr. 
Moody  Bridges,  of  Andover,  Mass.,  one  of  its  chief  proprietors. 
Prospect  was  so  called  from  the  beautiful  scenery  which,  from 
one  of  its  eminences,  charmed  the  eye  of  every  beholder. 
Hampden  honors  the  name  of  England's  illustrious  son,  John 
Hampden.  Newfield,  Cornish,  New  Sharon,  Unity,  Dresden, 
and  Alna,  were  wilderness  regions  which  poor  emigrants  had 
penetrated  for  the  sake  of  cheap  land,  and  where,  having  cut 
clearings  in  the  forest,  they  reared  their  log  huts,  planted  their 
wheat  and  corn  amidst  the  blackened  stumps,  and,  with  great 
toil,  obtained  but  frugal  fare. 

In  the  year  1795,  Poland,  Litchfield,  Lf.viston,  Steuben, 
Payette,  I^ivermore,  Starks,  and  Clinton,  were  incorporated. 
Lands  in  Maine  were  in  great  demand.  In  twelve  years  after 
the  close  of  the  war,  the  Commonwealth  sold  three  million  five 
hundred  thousand  acres.  Troubles  in  Europe  were  causing  a 
great  flood  of  emigration  to  this  country. 

Lewiston  became  one  of  the  most  important  manufacturing 
districts  in  the  State.  The  Androscoggin  has  here  a  natural  fall 
of  forty  t  in  a  distance  of  two  hundred  feet.  By  aid  of  a 
dam  this  has  been  increased  to  fifty  feet.  This  valuable  fall  is 
utilized,  by  machinery  of  various  kinds,  to  the  amount  of  five 
thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  horse-power.  And  this  is 
secure  against  any  contingencies  of  ice  or  flood,  l^ewiston  is 
connected  with  the  seaboard  by  two  lines  of  railway  ;  one  lead- 
ing to  Bath,  and  the  other  to  Portland.  It  is  distant  from  Bos- 
ton, by  rail,  six  and  a  half  hours,  from  Portland  one  and  a  half. 


i 


TfTE  mSTORT  OF  MAINS. 


411. 


i 


A 

m 

tn 

^. 

O 


and  from  Bath  one  and  a  quarter.  There  are  in  the  phice,  in- 
cluding Auburn,  which  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  fifteen 
manufacturing  companies,  with  an  aggregate  capital  3f  over 
$7,000,000.  About  b,000  hands  are  employed.  The  population 
of  the  two  cities,  by  the  census  of  1880,  wua  28,654.^ 

Lewiston  is  also  the  seat  of  an  important  literary  and  scien- 
tific institution,  called  the  Maine  State  Seminary,  which  wa» 
incorporated  and  endowed  by  the  State  in  the  year  185.5.^ 

A  controversy  arose,  about  tliis  time,  between  the  Indians  on 
the  Penobscot  and  the  government  respecting  land  titles.  The 
government  claimed,  that,  by  the  treaty  of  1785,  the  Indians  had 
no  lands  remaining  exceptnig  the  islands  in  the  Penobscot 
River ;  but  the  chiefs  claimed  the  territory  from  the  head  of 
the  tide,  six  miles  in  width  on  each  side  of  the  river,  upward, 
indefinitely  into  the  northern  wilderness.  Three  commissioners- 
were  appointed  to  meet  the  chiefs.  The  question  was  amicably 
settled.  The  commissioners  assented  to  the  claim  of  the  In- 
dians, and,  for  a  small  sum,  purchased  its  relinquishment  with 
a  few  modifications.  This  tribe,  called  the  Tarratines,  which,  at 
the  commencement  of  the  Uevolution,  could  bring  four  hundred 
warriors  into  the  field,  had  dwindled  down  to  but  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  women,  and  children.  The  territory 
which  the  Indians  relinquished,  by  this  treaty,  amounted  to  one 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  thousand,  four  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  acres. 

Still  the  tide  of  emigration  and  prosperity  was  flowing  inta 
Maine.  The  next  year,  1796,  seven  new  towns  were  incorpo- 
rated. These  were  Belgrade,  Harlem  (which  wao  twenty  miles 
beyond  any  other  settlement,  and  which  was  buded  in  a  forest 
swarming  with  moose,  bears,  and  wolves),  Castine,  Northport, 
Eden,  on  Mount  Desert,  so  named  fi-om  its  beautiful  scenery,, 
and  Bethel.  These  were  all  incorporated  on  the  10th  of  June. 
Soon  after,  June  17,  Addison,  Augusta,  Waterford,  Norway,  and 
Harrington  were  incorporated. 

Augusta  has  become  one  of  the  largest,  wealthiest,  most  intel* 


i 


^  The  Water  Power  of  Maine,  p.  394. 

^  »In  t?^3  a  coUeguitejsourse  of  stulyvrM  instituted,  and  the  name  of  the  institution  olianpe:* 
»f.  ittt^s  r"..--.!',K„5,  !r.  hosof  O*  y*uj.  3.  Bates,  of  Soatua,  its  aiUaifiucns  patron.  It  is  &07 
(1889)  in  a  very  flonrlihlng  condition.— Blwkli:.. 


412 


TEE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


lectual  and  most  beautiful  cities  in  the  State.  It  is.  the  shire- 
town  of  the  county,  and  the  capital  of  Maine.  The  r*  er  is 
spanned  by  a  fine  bridge,  and  elegant  mansions  are  found  on 
both  sides  of  the  river.  The  State  House,  of  granite,  stands 
in  a  commanding  position,  on  a  plateau  on  the  western  banks. 
A  water-power  of  great  value  is  established  here,  by  the  con- 
struction of  a  dam  entirely  across  the  river.  The  length  of  the 
Augusta  dam  is  584  feet,  and  its  height  fifteen  feet.  The  water- 
power  thus  afforded  is  of  immense  value,  and  must  eventually 
give  employment  to  a  very  large  manufacturing  population. 

Improvements  on  this  power  are  now  in  prospect  on  an  im- 
mense scale.  Six  hundred  acres  of  land  have  been  purchased 
around  it.  The  power  can  be  enormously  increased  by  connect- 
ing with  it  nearly  three  hundred  square  miles  of  lakes  which 
are  tributary  to  the  Kennebec.  It  can  hardly  be  doubted  that 
Augusta  is  destined  eventually  to  be  one  of  the  largest  manu- 
facturing cities  in  the  United  States.* 

Among  other  public  buildings  of  much  interest  in  Augusta, 
there  may  be  mentioned  the  United  States  Arsenal.  This 
building  is  situated  on  beautiful  grounds  on  tjie  eastern  bank 
of  the  river.  "The  insane  ho.  pital  is  an  honor  to  the  State 
and  to  humanity."  It  has  pleasure  grounds  seventy  acres  in 
extent.  The  scene  of  landscape  beauty  presented  from  the 
gentle  eminence  upon  which  the  hospital  stands  can  hardly  be 
surpassed.  An  awful  calamity  occurred  here  in  the  year  1850, 
when  the  building  was  consumed  by  fire,  and  twenty-eight  of 
the  inmates,  including  one  of  the  keepers,  were  burned. 

Eight  new  towns  were  incorporated  in  the  year  1798, — 
Wayne,  Otisfield,  Eastport,  Cornville,  Hollis,  Anson,  Hartford, 
and  Sumner.  In  1799  Kennebec  county  was  established,  with 
Augusta  for  its  shire-town.  Lisbon  was  the  only  town  incorpo- 
rated this  year.  On  the  14th  of  December  George  Washington 
died,  and  all  America  was  clothed  in  mourning.  The  popula- 
tion of  Maine,  in  the  year  1800,  amounted  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty-one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  nineteen.'    Maine  was 

*  See  "Water  Power  of  Maine,  p.  175. 

«  York  County  contained  87,729;  Cumberland,  79,921;  Kennebec,  24,394;  lin- 
coin,  30,100;  Hancock,  1G,31G;  Wasliiugtou,  4,436.  —  TfiYiianwon,  toL  ii.  p.  589. 


^-o'^^sra.-*** 


LONGFELLOW  STATUE,  PORTLAND. 


•414 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


now  entitled  to  four  representatives  in  Congress ;  still  new 
towns  were  born  with  wonderful  rapidity.  Rumford,  Orland, 
Ellsworth,  and  Lovell  came  into  being  in  the  year  1800,  and 
the  next  year  gave  birth  to  Strong  and  Leeds. 

Maine  was  now  enjoying  peace  and  great  prosperity.  Ten 
towns  were  incorporated  in  the  year  1802.  These  were  Minot, 
Chesterville,  Brownfield,  Vienna,  Avon,  New  Vineyard,  Dan- 
ville, Baldwin,  Lincolnville,  and  Waterville.  This  last  town 
constituted  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-eighth.  It  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  towns  in  the  State,  and  is  the  site  of  a  well- 
endowed  and  highly  flourishing  college.  The  institution  is 
under  the  control  of  the  Baptists,  but  is  open  to  the  students 
of  all  denominations.  The  name  of  "Colby  UniversiH'"  is 
taken  in  honor  of  one  of  its  most  munificent  patrons.  Th^  sit- 
un*ion  of  the  buildings,  on  the  western  bank  of  the  river,  is 
singularly  beautiful. 

Twenty-one  towns  were  incorporated  in  the  year  1804.  The 
very  important  and  opulent  town  of  Gardiner  was  named  from 
Dr.  Sylvester  Gardiner,  to  whom  most  of  the  township  was 
granted,  near  the  year  1754,  by  the  Plymouth  Qompany.  Robert 
H.  Gardiner,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  Maine, 
revered  for  his  intelligence,  his  public  spirit,  and  his  Christian 
probity,  came  into  possession  of  the  place  by  inheritance,  in  the 
year  1803.  There  were  then  but  about  six  hundred  inhabitants 
in  the  limits  of  the  territory.  Ihe  town  owes  much  of  its  pros- 
perity to  Mr.  Gardiner,  and  his  generous  devotion  to  all  its 
interests. 

His  energies  and  wealth  gave  impulse  to  every  branch  of 
business.  Mills  rose,  dams  were  built,  machine-shops  con- 
structed ;  and  a  commanding  eminence- was  adorned  with  a  fine 
Gothic  church  of  stone,  which  is  considered  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  buildings  in  New  England.  The  falls  of  Cobbossee- 
conte  gave  this  place  its  peculiar  value. 

The  other  towns  incorporated  this  year,  were  St.  George, 
Harmony,  Temple,  Albany,  Industry,  Raymond,  Surry,  Dixfield, 
Wilton,  Rome,  Madison,  Albion,  Unity,  Embden,  Mercer,  Hope, 
Palermo,   East  Andover  (now  called  Andover),  and  Gilead. 

nThP     novif     TroQl»  Kllfj    f.Wn    f*%T«rrka    -nTe^xnx  \r\rkf\r»-w^^\^t\^r>A      TTn«.»!.-A««    ^-^A 

-Newry. 


i 


416 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE 


Improvements  were  rapidly  advancing  all  over  the  State. 
Bridges,  roads,  turnpikes,  canals,  and  booms  were  constructed. 
These  last  were  of  immense  importance.  They  consisted  of 
chains  of  logs  crossing  the  rivers  upon  wliich  there  were  saw- 
mills, to  prevnt  the  logs,  cut  in  the  winter,  and  swept  down 
by  the  spring  freshets,  from  being  carried  out  to  sea. 

In  the  year  1805,  Oxford  County  was  organized,  and  Paris 
was  made  its  shire-town.     Orono,  which  had  previously  been 


COBBOSSEE   CONTEE   FALLS,  GARDINER,  MB. 


called  Stillwater,  was  incorporated  in  1806.  This  was  a  noted 
place  in  the  days  of  the  Indians.  It  was  about  the  year  1775 
when  the  first  white  settler  ventured  to  rear  his  cabin  in  those 
awful  solitudes.  The  renowned  chief  Orono  had  his  residence 
here.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  many  virtues.  From 
him  the  town  takes  its  harmonious  name. 

Eight  towns  were  incorporated  in  the  year  1807 :  Montville, 
Denmark,  Porter,  Jefferson,  Friendship,  Hiram,  Dixmont,  Pal 


tnvrn 
— ^^--- 


l?«^« „ 


THE  UiarORY  OF  MAINE. 


417 


aud  New  Portland.  The  county  of  Somerset  was  established 
in  1809,  and  Norridgewock  was  appointed  its  shire-town.  There 
were  also  incorporated  the  towns  of  Windsor,  Jonesborou^h. 
Calais,  and  Whitefield.  ° 

A  census  was  taken  in  the  year  1810 ;  and  it  was  found  that 
the  State  contained  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight  thousand,  six 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  inhabitants.  One  town  only,  Eliot 
^As  incorporated  this  year.  The  next  year,  however,  nine  were' 
added  to  the  prosperous  State.  These  were  Exeter,  Charleston, 
Garland,  Robbinston,  Eddington,  Washington,  Corinth,  Carmel, 
and  Lubec.  Seven  towns  were  incorporated  in  the  year  1812  • 
namely,  Bingham,  Troy,  Brewer,  Dearborn,  Phillips,  Sebec,  and 
Foxcroft.  There  were,  at  this  time,  a  hundred  and  ninety-four 
municipal  towns.  Since  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  a 
period  of  but  thirty  years,  a  hundred  and  fifty-four  had  been 
incorporated. 

The  outrages  which  England  had  for  years  been  inflic<^^ing 
upon  our  commerce,  and  her  practice  of  impressing  our  seamen 
at  her  pleasure,  had  become  unendurable.  On  the  18th  of  June, 
1812,  Congress  passed  an  act  declaring  that  war  existed  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States.  Maine  was  called  upon 
to  furnish  two  thousand  five  hundred  mUitia.  As  we  now  look 
back  upon  those  days,  it  seems  strange  that  a  single  word  could 
have  been  uttered  in  favor  of  submitting  to  those  outrages  in 
which  England  was  trampling  upon  our  most  sacred  rights! 

Four  towns  were  incorporated  in  1813,  —  Sweden,  Freedom, 
Levant,  and  St.  Albany.  To  meet  the  immediate  expenses  of 
the  war,  the  National  Government  assessed  a  tax  of  seventy-four 
thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty  dollaro  on  Maine.  It  is  said 
that  more  soldiers  were  enlisted  in  the  District  of  Maine,  accord- 
ing to  Its  population,  than  in  any  of  the  States.  Troops  were 
established  at  most  of  the  important  maritime  towns.  The 
whole  number  of  miUtia,  ever  ready  to  march,  amounted  to 
twenty-one  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  men. 

There  was  a  British  brig  called  "  The  Boxer,"  which  had  been 
for  some  time  cruising  along  our  coast,  committing  great  depre- 
dations.   The  brig,  which  mounted  eighteen  guns,  and  had  a 

crew    nf   a.    Vmnrlrorl     arxA     tnnr    w.'^"      x--i     i     •.     <         ^ 

„,i  „^a  lour  men,  was  uummanaea  oy  Uapt. 


418 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Bly  the,  who  was  twenty-nine  years  of  age.  The  American  brig 
"  Enterprise,"  which  carried  sixteen  guns  and  a  hundred  and 
two  men,  was  at  anchor  in  Portland  Harbor.  It  was  commanded 
by  Capt.  Burrows,  twenty-eight  years  of  age.^  "The  Boxer" 
was  ordered  to  cruise  off  the  harbor  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
"  The  Enterprise  "  to  an  engagement.  The  two  vessels  met  on 
the  5th  of  September,  1*  i4,  and  at  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon commenced  action  v  '  r  .n  half  pistol  shot. 

For  thirty-five  minutes  they  poured  their  deadly  broadsides 
mto  each  other.  Both  captains  were  shot  down,  and  the  decks 
were  covered  with  blood.  "  The  Boxer  "  then  struck  her  colors, 
having  lost,  in  killed  and  wounded,  besides  her  captain,  forty- 
six  men,  nearly  half  her  crew.  On  "  The  Enterprise  "  only  two 
were  killed  and  twelve  wounded.  The  next  day  the  victorious 
brig  returned,  with  her  prize,  to  Portland.  The  public  exulta- 
tion was  chilled  by  the  death  of  the  intrepid  Capt.  Burrows. 
The  remains  of  both  the  officers  were  buried,  side  by  side,  with 
military  honors,  and  a  monument  raised  to  their  memory. 

The  general  history  of  this  war  belongs  to  the  history  of  the 
United  States  rather  than  to  that  of  Maine*  But  in  many 
respects  the  conflict  was  disastrous  to  the  District.  Maine  was 
peculiarly  a  commercial  district,  and  commerce  was  annihilated 
by  the  war.  Money  became  scarce,  prices  high,  and  many  of 
the  rich  became  poor,  and  the  poor  suffered  severely.  The 
English  declared  the  whole  of  our  Atlantic  coast  in  a  state  of 
blockade.  The  entire  seaboard  was  infested  by  British  cruisers. 
Still,  in  this  sad  world  of  sin  and  sorrow,  ^adversity  often  intro- 
duces renewed  prosperity.  There  is,  however,  but  little  comfort 
in  the  thought  that  the  prosperity  of  one  must  be  purchased  at 
the  expense  of  the  ruin  of  another.  The  destruction  of  our 
commerce  rendered  it  necessary  for  us  to  engage,  more  than 
ever  before,  in  mechanic  arts  and  manufacturing  establishments. 
Thus  England  "  gained  a  loss  "  in  this  cruel  war. 

The  government  of  Great  Britain  claimed  the  right  of  stop- 
ping, by  the  menace  of  her  guns,  any  American  vessel  found 
upon  the  seas,  of  sending  a  lieutenant  on  board,  who  would 


*  Diary  of  Rev.  Samuel  Deane,  p.  403. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


41» 


muster  the  crew  before  him,  ami  pick  out  any  number  he  was 
pleased  to  say  were  of  English  birth.  These  he  would  seize, 
drag  on  board  the  British  men-of-war,  and  compel  them  to  fight 
Britain's  battles.  Where  resistance  was  attempted  the  cudgel 
and  cutlass  were  freely  used.  OflBcial  records  prove  that  more 
than  a  thousand  American  citizem  were  thus  torn  from  home  and 
friends,  and  were  compelled  for  years  to  man  British  guns,  and, 
when  war  was  opened  against  America,  to  fight  their  own 
countrymen.  Even  our  armed  vessels  were  thus  searched,  and 
fired  upon  if  they  refused  to  submit.  Over  six  thousand  men 
were  thus  taken  from  the  American  vessels  upon  the  simple 
assertion  of  a  British  lieutenant,  that  he  considered  them  subjects 
of  Great  Britain. 

It  was  in  the  enforcement  of  suoh  an  atrocious  claim  as  this, 
that  the  British  Government  commenced  war  against  the  United 
States ;  thus  blighting  the  prospects  of  humanity,  filling  lonely 
farmhouses  with  widows  and  orphans,  and  creating  an  amount 
of  wretchedness  which  can  never  fully  be  known  until,  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment,  all  things  shall  be  brought  to  light.  It  is  hard 
for  any  one,  whose  heart  is  moved  by  the  moans  and  tears  of 
the  helpless,  to  forgive  such  crimes  on  tlie  part  of  haughty  foes, 
who  were  rioting  amidst  the  splendors  of  their  castlts  and  their 
palaces. 

The  victims  of  this  impressment  were  not  allowed  any  trial. 
There  was  no  chance  for  any  appeal.  A  pert  young  lieutenant 
from  a  British  war-vessel,  followed  by  his  armed  band,  would 
descend  the  deck  of  any  American  vessel,  pick  out  from  the 
crew  any  men  he  pleased,  and  saying,  "  I  think  these  men  are 
Englishmen,"  carry  them  off. 

We  give  England's  plea  in  justification  of  this  outrage,  in  the 
language  in  which  the  prince  regen'.  himself,  subsequently  the 
infamous  George  IV.,  endeavors  to  soften  down  its  atrocities. 
In  a  cabinet  manifesto  dated  Jan.  8,  1813,  he  wrote,  — 

'*  I  am  surprised  that  the  exercise  of  the  undoubted  and  hitherto  undis- 
puted right  of  searchbg  neutral  merchant-vessels  in  time  of  war,  and  the 
impressment  of  British  seamen  when  found  therein,  could  be  deemed  any 
violation  of  a  neutral  flag  ;  or  to  take  such  seamen  from  on  board  such 
vessels,  could  be  considered  by  any  neutral  state  as  a  hostile  measure,  or 
a  justifiable  cause  of  war." 


420 


TUK  UlSTORr  OF  MAINE. 


In  the  year  1813,  the  taxable  property  in  Maine  amounted  to 
one  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars.*  Notwithstanding 
the  desolations  of  war,  nine  towns  were  this  year  incorporated  ; 
namely,  Phippsburg,  —  where  the  earliest  colony  over  attempted 
in  Maine  was  located,  and  where  Popham's  fort  was  reared,  — 
Searmont,  Belmont,  Bloomfield,  South  Berwick,  Westbrook, 
Sangerville,  Hermon,  and  Newport. 

The  Bloomfield  region  was  called  by  the  Indians,  Wessarunset. 
The  first  settlers,  in  1771,  were  so  delighted  with  the  beauty  and 
fertility  of  the  country,  that  they  called  it  Canaan.  In  the  year 
1777,  several  men  were  captured  by  the  Indians,  and  carried 
to  Canada.  They  were  however,  it  is  believed,  all  eventually 
restored  to  their  friends.  In  the  year  1807,  an  academy  was 
incorporated  here,  which  obtained  much  celebrity  throughout 
the  State. 

South  Berwick  was  in  a  region  called  Quampeagan  by  the 
Indians.  Here  also  a  flourishing  academy  was  established. 
From  the  beginning  Maine  has  manifested  great  zeal  in  the 
education  of  her  sons  and  daughters. 

During  the  first  two  years  of  the  war  Maine  was  not  actually 
invaded  by  the  enemy,  though  often  menaced.  A  small  military 
force  was  stationed  at  Eastport.  Major  Perley  Putnam,  of 
Salem,  was  in  command,  with  two  companies  of  militia. 

On  the  11th  of  July,  1814,  a  British  fleet  of  five  war-vessela 
and  several  transports  anchored  abreast  of  Eastport,  and  de- 
manded the  surrender  of  the  fort,  allowing  jive  minviea  for  an 
answer.'  Major  Putnam  did  not  need  even  that  time  to  reply, 
"The  fort  will  be  defended  against  whafever  force  may  be 
brought  against  it."  But  the  inhabitants  rose  promptly  in 
strong  remonstrance  against  resisting  an  armament,  which,  in  an 
hour,  could  lay  the  whole  town  in  ashes.  Major  Putnam  was 
thus  compelled  to  strike  bis  flag. 

Eastport  was  very  eligibly  situated  on  Moose  Island,  which 
the  British  claimed  belonged  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  1783. 

»  Willianison,  vol  U.  p.  636. 

»  The  fleet  consisted  of  "The  Itandlles,"  a  seventy-four-gun  ship,  having  oo 
1)oard  the  Commodore,  Sir  Thomas  Hardy  ;  "  The  Martin,"  a  sloop-of-war  ;  tb-- 
brigs  "  Bover,"  "  Breame,"  and  "  Terror  ; "  a  bomb-ship,  and  several  transports 
vrov/ued  with  troops. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


421 


They  took  possession  of  the  place  and  all  the  public  property  it 
contained,  hoisted  the  British  flag,  dragged  the  American  sol- 
diers on  board  their  prison-ships,  and  commanded  all  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Moose  Island,  and  of  the  other  islands  in  Passamaquoddy 
Bay,  to  assemble  at  the  schoolhouse  in  Eastport  on  the  16tb 
instant,  and  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  Britannic  Majesty, 
or  within  seven  days  to  depart  from  the  islands.^  About  two- 
thirds  of  the  islanders  submitted  to  this  requirement. 

The  success  of  this  expedition  encouraged  the  British  to  fit 
out  another  against  Penobscot  (now  Castine)  and  Machias. 
The  fleet  consisted  of  three  seventy-four-gun  ships,  two  frigates, 
two  sloops-of-war,  an  armed  schooner,  a  large  tender,  and  ten 
transports.  The  number  of  troops  embarked  were  probably 
about  three  thousand  five  hundred,  though  some  have  placed 
the  number  as  high  as  six  thousand.^  On  the  1st  of  September, 
1814,  this  formidable  armament  cast  anchor  in  the  harbor  of 
Castine.  Successful  resistance  was  impossible.  The  garrison 
blew  up  the  fort,  and  fled  back  into  the  country.  The  British 
took  undisputed  possession.  One  of  the  generals  then,  with  six 
hundred  men,  crossed  the  bay  and  captured  Belfast.  They 
plundered  the  unfortunate  town,  and  returned  to  Castine.  This 
was  the  second  time  this  quiet  village  had  been  ravaged  by  this 
British  soldiery.  Their  first  visit  was  in  1780,  when  their 
brutal  treatment  drove  the  inhabitants  into  the  woods. 

The  fleet  ascended  the  bay  and  river  until  the  ships  were 
within  about  fifteen  miles  of  Bangor.  They  cast  anchor  near 
Hampden  Village,  and  landed  a  strong  force.  The  Hampden 
militia  made  a  feeble  resistance,  but  were  soon  dispersed  by  the 
fire  of  the  British  regulars.  The  conflict  of  an  hour  placed 
Hampden  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy.  They  plundered  the 
houses  and  the  stores,  killed  the  cattle,  treated  the  most  prom 
inent  citizens  with  shameful  abuse,  burned  several  vessels,  and 
spared  others  by  extorting  a  bond  of  twelve  thousand  dollars. 
The  loss  which  the  little  village  of  Hampden  experienced  from 

»  The  British  claimed  all  the  islands  in  Passamaquoddy  Bay  as  within  their 
boundary  line. 

"  It  is  certain  that  the  forces  consisted  of  the  Sixty-second  and  Ninety-eighth 

-„      ,  ... J. —  —  .,._..i„,.„  J .^ginieuii,  ttuu  a  uciaciuneni  oz 

royal  artillery. 


422 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


this  raid  was  estimated  to  amount  to  forty-Four  thousand  dollars. 
A  committee  of  the  citizens  waited  upon  the  British  commander, 
Capt.  Barrie,  and  implored  him  to  treat  the  community  with 
more  humanity.     He  angrily  replied :  — 

"  Humanity  I  I  have  none  for  you.  My  buHineflS  is  to  bum,  sink,  and 
destroy.  Your  town  is  taken  by  storm.  By  tlie  rules  of  war  we  ought  to 
lay  your  village  in  ashes,  and  put  its  inhabitants  to  the  sword.  But  I  will 
■pare  your  lives,  though  I  mean  to  bum  your  houses." 

An  order  came  from  the  more  merciful  British  commander  at 
Castine,  Gen.  Sherbroke,  not  to  burn  the  houses.  The  vessels 
again  spread  their  sails  to  ascend  the  river,  while  two-thirds 
of  the  troops  marched  along  by  land.  No  terms  were  allowed 
to  Bangor  but  unconditional  surrender.  The  ships  anchored  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Kenduskeag.  A  few  Congreve  rockets  were 
thrown  over  the  village,  as  an  intimation  of  the  doom  which 
awaited  the  citizens  should  they  attempt  any  resistance. 

The  best  buildings  in  the  place  were  taken  as  barracks  for 
tLe  soldiers.  All  public  property  was  seized.  One  hundred 
and  rtinety-one  of  the  principal  men  were  compelled  to  sign  a 
document  declaring  themselves  prisoners  of  war,  and  stipulating 
not  to  serve  against  the  British  Government  until  exchanged. 

But  little  respect  was  paid  to  private  property.  Many  stores 
were  plundered ;  and  several  vessels  were  saved  from  the  flames 
only  by  giving  a  bond  to  the  amount  of  thirty  thousand  dollars, 
that  four,  which  were  on  the  stocks,  should  be  delivered  at 
Castine.  Fourteen  vessels  were  burned,  mostly  on  the  Brewer 
side  of  the  river ;  and  six  were  carried  to  Oastine.*  It  was  esti- 
mated that  the  losses  at  Bangor  amounted  to  forty-five  thou- 
sand dollars. 

After  a  stay  of  about  thirty  hours  in  Bangor,  the  fleet  de- 
scended the  river  to  Frankfort.    Here  they  took  from  the  people 

1  In  this  case,  as  in  most  other  narratives  of  deeds  of  violence,  there  b  some 
slight  diversity  in  the  details.  There  is,  however,  here  no  question  in  regard  to 
the  general  and  important  facts.  The  narrative,  as  we  give  it,  is  probably  as 
accurate  as  can  now  be  ascertained.  Williamson  gives  the  following  summary: 
"Burnt,  the  brig  'Caravan,'  'NeiJtuue's  Barge,'  'Thinks  I  to  Myself,'  'Eunice 
«nd  Polly,'  '  The  Gla«liator,'  '  The  Three  Brothers,'  the  sloop  '  Ranger,'  three  un- 
i...^/^i,^i  y^op^iu  jji  Brewer,  and  one  in  Bangor^  There  were  also  three  others  in 
the  barbor  that  were  destroyed:  fourteen  in  all."—  WUliamaon,  vol.  ii.  p.  648. 


THH  HiarORi'  OF  MAINE. 


forty  oxen,  one  hundred  sheep,  and  an  indefinite  amount  of 
poultry.  On  the  7th,  the  ships  returned  from  this  marauding 
excursion  to  Castine. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  Kennebec  valley  were  terror-stricken. 
It  was  apprehended  that  the  same  fleet  would  visit  their  river 
with  the  same  destruction.  The  whole  surrounding  region  was 
kept  for  a  time,  in  a  state  of  great  alarm.  Wisrasset  was 
menaced  ;  and  the  militia  from  a  region  of  nearly  thirty  miles 
around  flocked  to  its  defence. 

The  region  between  Passamaquoddy  Bay  and  the  Penobscot 
River  had  passed  under  the  control  of  the  English.  Catjtine 
was  made  a  port  of  entry.  Several  war-vessels  guarded  tli« 
harbor,  and  two  thousand  two  hundred  troops  were  placed  there 
in  garrison.  The  British  commander  organized  a  provincial 
government  for  the  territory.  All  the  male  inhabitants  over 
sixteen  years  of  age  were  compelled  tc  take  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  British  king.  A  custom-house  was  opened  at 
Hampden  for  the  introduction  of  British  goods. 

Castine  became  quite  a  gay  resort  for  the  officers  of  the 
British  army  and  navy.  A  temporary  theatve  was  opened,  and 
there  were  music  and  dancing.  Many  of  the  officers  were  gentle- 
men by  birth,  culture,  and  instinctive  sentiment.  On  the  11th 
of  February,  1815,  news  reached  our  country  that  peac  i  was 
established  by  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  which  was  signed  on  the  24th 
of  December,  1814.  The  glad  tidings  wsre  received  with  every 
demonstration  of  joy,  throughout  the  whole  country.  The 
British  troops  evacuated  Castine  on  the  2oth  .of  April,  after  an 
encampment  there  of  eight  months. 

War  is  always  demoralizing.  The  two  great  vices  which  this 
war  augmented  throughout  Maine  were  intemperance  and  pro- 
faneness.  But  Maine  sustained  no  diminution  in  her  population. 
The  loss  experienced  from  the  casualties  of  war  was  more  than 
made  up  by  immigration.  In  1815  Woodstock  was  incorpo- 
rated. Twelve  new  towns  were  organized  in  the  year  1816. 
These  were,  Kingfield,  Moscow,  Wales,  Greenwood,  Weld, 
Guilford,  Cherryfield,  Dexter,  North  Hill,  Brooks,  Corinna,  and 
Ripley. 

There  were  now  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  towns  in  the 


/ 


424 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


State.  The  whole  number  of  legal  voters  waa  thirty-seven 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-eight.  The  following  ques- 
tion waa  eubraitted  to  the  people,  convened  in  their  several 
bowns  and  plantations,  — 

"  Is  it  expedient  that  the  District  of  Maine  be  separated  from 
Massachusetts,  and  become  an  independent  State?"* 

The  unexpected  result  of  this  vote  was,  11,969  yeas,  and 
10,847  nays.  A  convention  was  chosen  to  assemble  in  the 
meeting-honse  at  Brunswick,  count  the  votes,  and,  if  a  majority 
of  five  to  four  were  found  in  favor  of  separation,  to  appoint  a 
committee  to  draft  a  constitution.  Though  the  majority  was 
less  than  the  statute  required,  the  convention  declared  the  vote 
to  be  in  favor  of  an  independent  State,  and  chose  two  com- 
mittees ;  one  to  draft  a  constitution,  and  one  to  apply  to  Con- 
gress for  admission  into  the  Union.  A  large  minority  protested 
against  these  measures ;  and  the  General  Court,  being  then  in 
session,  disapproved  of  the  illegal  decision,  and  dissolved  the 
convention. 

There  arose  at  this  time  what  was  called  the  "  Ohio  fever." 
Hundreds  w  re  seized  with  the  almost  insane  cjesire  to  emigrate 
to  Ohio.  The  journey,  generally  taken  in  wagons  covered  with 
canvas,  was  long,  expensive^  and  exhausting.  Often  the  suffer* 
ings  by  the  way  were  very  severe.  The  flat,  rich,  alluvial  plains 
of  Ohio  seemed  to  be  covered  with  a  malarious  atmosphere. 
Whole  families  often  wilted  down  together,  now  shaking  with 
exhaustive  chills,  and  again  burning  with  fever.  Many  mourned 
the  day  in  which  they  departed  from  the  healthy,  invigorating 
breezes  of  Maine.  But  return  was  impossible.  Their  means 
ware  entirely  exhausted.  It  is  estimated  that  Maine  lost 
between  ten  and  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants  by  this  sad  infat- 
uation. 

There  was  a  dispute  respecting  the  north-eastern  boundary 
of  the  State,  which  subsequently  came  near  involving  us  in 
another  war  with  England.    There  was  but  one  town,  Brooks- 

1  Such  la  tbe  fonn  of  this  question,  as  given  by  the  accurate  Mr.  "Williamson 
The  form  suggested  by  the  General  Court  was,  "Shall  the  Legislature  be  requested 
to  give  its  consent  to  the  separation  of  the  District  of  Maine  from  Massachusetts 
and  the  creation  of  said  district  into  a  separate  State  V  " 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


425 


ville,  incorporated  in  the  year  1817 ;  but  the  next  year  seven 
were  established,  — China,  Monroe,  Perry,  Mexico,  Dennysville, 
Swanville,  and  Jackson. 

The  Indian  tribes  had  dwindled  almost  to  extinction.  Of  the 
Penolr)8cot  Indians  but  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  remained. 
Two-thirds  of  these  were  women  and  children.  They  had 
become  a  dispirited,  humiliated,  and  inefficient  people,  supported 
mainly  by  charity.  Quite  readily  tliey  relinquished  their  claim 
to  all  the  extensive  territory  still  recognized  as  theirs,  for  four 
townships,  each  six  miles  square,  and  for  a  yearly  contribution 
of  five  hundred  bushels  of  corn,  fifteen  barrels  of  flour,  seven 
of  pork,  one  hogshead  of  molasses,  a  hundred  yards  of  broad- 
cloth, firty  blankets,  a  hundred  pounds  of  gunpowder,  four 
hundred  of  shot,  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  tobacco,  six  boxes 
of  chocolate,  and  fifty  dollars  in  silver. 

Henceforth  tiie  Indians  cease  to  be  of  any  consideration  in 
the  history  of  the  State.  The  dwindling  families  became  pub- 
lic paupers ;  and  now  probably  not  a  single  full-blooded  Indian 
can  be  found  in  all  the  wide  realms  of  Maine,  over  which,  two 
centuries  ago,  they  roamed  in  almost  undisputed  power.  In 
the  year  1819,  another  effort  was  made  for  separation.  Seven- 
teen thousand  and  ninety-one  votes  were  cast.  Of  these  but 
seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  wore  nays.  A 
committee  of  thirty-three,  selected  from  each  county,  was  chosen 
to  report  a  constitution.  John  Holmes,  one  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished sons  of  Maine,  was  chairman.  This  document  was 
submitted  to  the  people,  and  ratified  by  a  large  majiority  of 
votes. 

Gov.  Brooks  announced  the  event  in  his  message  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court,  in  January,  1819.  After  alluding  in  almost  affec- 
tionate terms  to  the  harmony  which  had  so  long  prev  Ued 
between  Massachusetts  and  her  fostei-child,  he  added,  — 

«•  But  the  time  of  separation  is  a^  hand.  Conformably  to  the  memorable 
act  of  June  19  last,  the  sixteenth  day  of  March  next  will  terminate  for- 
ever the  political  unity  of  Massachusetts  proper  and  the  District  of  Maine; 
and  that  District,  -which  is  bone  of  our  bone,  and  flesh  of  our  flesh,  will 
assunij  her  rank  as  an  independent  State  in  the  American  confederacy." 


.Si 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


PEACE  AND  PROSPERITY. 


Wiliiam  King— William  D.  Williamson— The  Maine  of  Half  a  Century  Ago 
—  A  Journey  to  Boston  —  Succeeding  Governors  —  The  Aroostook  War — 
Origin  of  ttie  DiflSculty — Warlike  Measure — Interesting  Incidents  — The 
Truce  —  Final  Settlement. 

THE  first  governor  of  Maine  was  William  King.  He  is 
often  spoken  of  as  "  the  first  and  best  of  our  governors." 
He  was  born  in  Scarborough,  in  the  year  ]  768.  Native  strength 
of  mind  and  elevated  character  supplied  the  place  of  a  liberal 
education.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  in  advocating 
the  separation.  With  superior  business  qualifipations,  he  be- 
came opulent,  and  when  elected  he  was  a  prosperous  merchant 
in  Bath.  He  resigned  the  office  upon  being  appointed  one  of 
the  commissioners  of  the  National  Government  on  the  Spanish 
claims. 

The  remainder  of  the  term  Mr.  William  D.  Williamson,  Pres- 
ident of  the  Senate,  became  acting  governor.  Mr.  Williamson 
became  the  author  of  the  voluminous  and  admirable  history  of 
the  State,  which  will  ever  secure  to  him  the  gratitude  of  the 
sons  of  Maine.  One  of  the  first  acts  of  the  Legislature  was 
the  adoption  of  a  State  seal.  The  moose,  the  noblest  animal  in 
our  forests,  and  the  majestic  pine-tree,  the  most  valuable  of  our 
timber,  became  the  central  figures.  An  anchor  and  a  scythe,  as 
the  emblems  of  commerce  and  agriculture,  were  placed  upon 
either  side.  Above,  the  north  star  shines,  signifying  the  posi- 
tion which  Maine  occupies  in  the  constellation  of  the  States. 
Two  figures,  representing  a  sailor  and  a  farmer,  are  conspicuous. 
Over  all  is  the  Latin  word  "  Dirigo  "  (I  lead). 

Thfi  Maiflfi  f>f  half  a  ppptiiTv  acrn  waS  Yf^vv  diff'^rfiiit  fi''^"!   thft 

«/       o  ^'  —    —  — 

420 


THE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


427 


Maine  of  the  present  day.  Before  the  Revolution  there  waa 
not  a  four-wheeled  passenger  carriage  in  the  State.  Two- 
wheeled  chaises  were  not  introduced  into  Portland  until  1760^ 
They  were  then  not  in  common  use,  but  were  articles  of  luxury 
which  were  brought  only  on  festive  oocasions.  It  was  about 
the  year  1800  when  the  first  four-wheeled  carriage  was  seen  in 
the  streets  of  Augusta.  Men  and  women  generally  journeyed 
on  horseback.  The  women  sat  on  pillions  behind  the  men.  The 
horse-block,  for  mounting,  was  a  very  important  adjunct  to  the 

churches. 

It  was  deemed  a  memorable  event  when,  in  the  year  1787, 
a  stage-coach  was  established  to  run  between  Portland  and 
Portsmouth.  The  line  was  extern'  .a  to  Augusta  in  1806.  At 
a  very  early  hour  in  the  morning  the  stage  left  Augusta,  and  ia 
four  or  five  houi-s,  if  the  travelling  were  good,  reached  Bruns- 
wick to  breakfast.  At  Freeport  they  dined ;  worn  and  weary 
they  reached  Portland  in  the  evening  to  lodge  for  the  night. 
Starting  the  next  morning  at  an  early  hour,  the  coach  stoppedl 
at  Kennebunk  for  breakfast,  and  Portsmouth  for  dinner,  and 
lodged  at  Newburyport  the  second  night.  At  two  o'clock  the 
next  morning  the  cc  ich  again  started,  breakfasted  in  the  early 
dawn  at  Salem,  and  reached  Boston  about  noon  of  the  third 
da^  In  the  year  1823,  Capt.  Seward  Porter  commenced  run- 
ning a  steamboat,  "The  Patent,"  from  Portland  to  Boston. 
Five  passengers  were  considered  a  very  goodly  company.  The 
boat  was  about  a  hundred  tons  burden.  In  the  years  1823  and 
1824,  queer  looking  little  steamboats,  with  stern-wheels,  began 
to  run  up  the  Kennebec  River. 

The  second  governor  of  Maine  was  Albion  K.  Parris.  H© 
was  elected  in  the  year  18?'?.  A  farmer's  son,  born  in  Hebron, 
Me.,  he  work  d  on  the  fields  of  his  father  until  he  was  four- 
teen years  of  age.  At  fifteen  he  entered  Harvard  College.  At 
twenty-sis  he  was  chosen  representative  in  the  national  Con- 
gress ;  at  thirty  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  United  States  Dis- 
trict Court ;  and  when  but  thirty-three  years  old  he  was  elected 
governor.  He  was  a  man  of  g.eat  energy,  of  indomitable  per- 
severance, and  of  great  administrative  ability.  His  unblemished 
Xn'cnA^^T  c,r,(\  pnnrtpniia  manners  secured  the  affection  and 
respect  of  all  who  knew  him. 


428 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 


Enoclx  Lincoln  succeeded  Gov.  Parris  in  1827.  He  was  a 
very  able  niim,  a  well  read  lawyer,  and  had  enjoyed  the  educa- 
tional advantages  of  a  seat  in  the  national  Congress.     His  mes- 


POST  OFFICE,  AUGUSTA,  MAINE. 


■ 


sages  were  much  admired  for  the  comprehensive  views  they 
presented  in  language  remarkably  terse  and  expressive. 

.Jonathan  G.  Hunton,  of  Readfield,  succeeded  Mr.  Lincoln. 
Under  his  administration  SoUigo   Pond  was  connected   by  a 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


42» 


a 


I 


canal  with  Casco  Bay.  In  the  )'ear  1831,  Samuel  E.  Smith  was 
chosen  governor,  and  was  re-elected  in  1834.  During  Mr. 
Smith's  term  of  oflSce  tlie  seat  of  government  was  removed  from 
Portland  to  Augusta.  The  State  House,  built  of  the  finest 
granite,  cost  about  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 
Half  of  this  sum  was  paid  from  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  ten 
acres  of  land.  It  is  a  beautiful  building  ;  but,  unfortunately,  it 
is  never  approached  from  its  front,  and  the  side  views  are  not 
imposing. 

Robert  P.  Dunlap,  of  Brunswick,  succeeded  Mr.  Smith  in  the 
chair  of  chief  magistrate.  His  irreproachable  character  and 
suavity  of  manners  rendered  him  very  popular,  and  he  continued 
to  fill  the  responsible  office  for  four  years.  Under  his  adminis- 
tration our  first  scientific  survey  was  undertaken,  and  the  admir- 
able asylum  for  the  insane  was  instituted  at  Augusta.  In  1838, 
Edward  Kent  of  Bangor  was  chosen  governor.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1839  by  John  Fairfield  of  Saco. 

The  question  respecting  our  north-eastern  boundary  had  for 
some  time  been  attracting  much  attention.  It  soon  culminated 
in  a  series  of  measures  which  threatened  to  involve  the  United 
States  in  another  war  with  Great  Britain.  These  events  demand 
some  minuteness  of  narrative.' 

What  was  called  the  Aroostook  War  was  quite  a  memorable 
event  in  the  history  of  Maine.  By  the  treaty  of  1783,  at  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  one-half  of  the  St.  John's 
River  belonged  to  Maine ;  but,  at  the  close  of  the  war  of  1812, 
Great  Britain  claimed  the  whole,  including  both  banks.  There 
was,  at  this  time,  on  the  north  or  eastern  side*  of  the  river,  an 
American  settlement  of  scattered  log  huts,  extending  for  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  twenty  miles.  The  inhabitants  were  principally 
of  French  descent,  and  had  emigi-ated  to  that  American  region 
when  the  English  took  possession  of  Acadia.^  This  plantation 
had  been  incorporated  as  the  town  of  Madawaska,  and  a  repre- 

1  For  most  of  the  fat 's  of  the  Aroostook  War  I  am  Indebted  to  a  lecture 
delivered  in  the  Eepre8ent<ifive8  Hall  iu  Augusta,  by  Mr.  George  J.  Varney  of 
Brunswick.  Mr.  Varney  is  the  author  of  the  admirable  "  History  of  Maine  for 
Young  People."  In  this  small  volume  he  has,  with  great  skill  and  accuracy,  com- 
pressed most  of  the  essential  facts  in  the  history  of  the  State. 


■PW^^fmnum,"    ^-....rn'mm  w 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


481 


sentative  was  sent  to  the  Legislature  of  Maine ;  but  the  British 
authorities,  in  the  vicinity,  remonstrated  against  this,  sent  an 
armed  force,  and  broke  up  the  meetings. 

In  June,  1837,  Congress  sent  an  officer  to  Madawaska  to  take 
a  census  of  the  people,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  distribute  the 
surplus  money  which  had  accumulated  in  the  United  States 
treasury.  A  British  constable  arrested  this  agent,  and  curried 
his  prisoner  to  the  nearest  English  shire-town.  But  the  sheriff 
there,  alarmed  in  view  of  so  reckless  a  procedure,  refused  to 
receive  the  prisoner ;  and  he  returned  to  Madawaska,  and  con- 
tinued to  prosecute  his  mission. 

Gov.  Harvey  of  New  Brunswick,  hearing  of  the  distribution 
of  money  to  the  people,  assumed  that  it  was  a  bribe  to  induce 
the  inhabitants  to  continue  their  allegiance  to  the  United  States. 
He  therefore  ordered  the  agent  to  be  re-arrested,  and  he  was 
lodged  in  Frederickton  jail.  Gov.  Dunlap,  who  then  occupied 
the  gubernatorial  chair  of  Maine,  issued  a  general  order  an- 
nouncing that  the  soil  of  our  State  had  been  invaded  by  a 
foreign  power.  The  militia  were  therefore  called  upon  to  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  for  active  service.  A  flame  of  indigna- 
tion swept  over  the  State.  A  few  weeks  after,  the  British 
authorities,  influenced  by  a  message  from  Pres.  Van  Buren,  set 
the  imprisoned  agent  at  liberty.  There  had  been  a  great  mus- 
tering of  forces  on  both  sides,  and  many  ludicrous  events  which 
provoked  much  ridicule.  But  both  parties  wisely  decided  to 
refer  the  question  to  arbitration,  and  the  Madawaska  war  was 
ended. 

After  the  war  of  1812  the  British  claimed  the  whole  of  the 
upper  part  of  the  vast  valley  of  the  St.  John.  They  demanded  all 
the  land  above  the  forty-sixth  degree  of  north  latitude,  which 
included  about  one-third  of  what  was  supposed  to  be  the  ter- 
ritory of  Maine.  The  question  in  dispute  was  referred  to  Wil- 
liam, king  of  the  Netherlands.  He  decided  that  the  line  should 
run  about  half  way  between  the  boundaries  claimed  by  the  two 
powers,  which  was  a  very  strange  decision.  The  question  sub- 
mitted to  him  was.  Which  of  the  two  boundaries  is  the  one 
authorized  by  the  treaty  ?  And  he  decided  in  favor  of  a  line 
which  the  treatv  certainlv  did  not  indifiatfl.  and  whip.Vi  npif.hpr 


482 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


of  the  parties  had  thought  of.     To  enter  into  the  details  of  thi» 
discussion  would  be  very  wearisome  to  the  reader. 

The  people  of  Maine  were  indignant  at  this  decision.  The 
national  government,  anxious  to  avoid  war,  generously  offered 
Maine  a  million  acres  of  land  in  Michigan,  in  exchange  for  the 
territory  she  would  thus  lose.  This  offer  was  declined,  and 
prolonged  negotiations  ensued.  Matters  remaining  unsettled, 
and  there  being  some  indications  of  an  outbreak,  Gov.  Kent,  in 
1838,  took  measures  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  militia, 
and  Gen.  Wool  was  sent  to  inspect  the  fortifications  on  the 
Penobscot,  the  St.  Croix,  and  the  Kennebec.  The  line  which 
Maine  claimed  by  the  treaty  of  1773  was  again  surveyed. 

The  territory  thus  in  dispute  became  the  prey  of  plunderers. 
The  region  of  the  Aroostook  River  was  robbed  of  its  most 
valuable  lumber.  The  State  Legislature,  in  secret  session,  au- 
thorized Sheriff  Strickland  to  raise  a  force  of  two  hundred  volun- 
teers, drive  off  the  trespass/ers,  destroy  their  camps,  and  Si^'ze 
their  teams.  The  command  was  placed  under  Capt.  Stover  Rines. 
The  first  company  left  Bangor  on  the  5th  of  February,  1839, 
and  reached  Masardis,  then  township  No.  10,  on  the  8th.  The 
trespassers,  not  aware  of  the  force  coming  down  upon  them, 
made  a  slight  show  of  resistance.  The  lumbermen  and  their 
teams  were,  however,  easily  captured. 

Capt.  Rines  advanced  to  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Madawas- 
ka.  Here  he  met  with  a  reverse,  was  captured  with  a  company 
of  his  men,  and  they  were  hurried  off,  in  a  sleigh,  to  Frederick- 
ton  jail,  in  New  Brunswick.  The  sheriff  and  his  forces  retreated. 
The  trespassers,  much  elated,  armed  themselves,  about  three 
hundred  in  number,  and  bade  defiance  to  the  American  author- 
ities. The  sheriff,  learning  of  the  capture,  retired  to  Number 
Ten,  and  fortified  his  party,  while  he  repaired  as  rapidly  as  pos- 
sible to  Augusta,  to  report  the  posture  of  affairs. 

Gov.  Harvey,  of  New  Brunswick,  issued  a  proclamation, 
declaring  that  British  territory  had  been  invaded,  and  ordering 
out  a  thousand  of  the  militia.  Affairs  now  began  to  assume  a 
very  serious  aspect. 

Immediately,  though  it  was  Sunday  morning,  fifty  volunteers 
set  out  from  Augusta,  for  the  scene  of  action.     At  the  same 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


488 


time  Gov.  Harvey  sent  a  communication  to  the  governor  of 
Maine,  at  Augusta,  demanding  the  recall  of  the  American  troops 
from  the  Aroostook,  and  announcing  that  he  was  instructed,  by 
the  British  Government,  to  hold  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  th« 
disputed  territory,  and  that  he  should  do  so  by  military  force. 

This  roused  to  a  high  pitch  the  indignation  of  the  people  of 
Maine.  The  legislature  passed  a  spirited  resolve  for  the  pro- 
tection of  the  public  lands,  and  appropriated  eight  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  that  purpose.  A  draft  was  also  ordered  for 
ten  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty-three  men  from  the  mili- 
tia, to  be  ready  for  immediate  action.  Early  Monday  morning, 
the  unwonted  sound  of  the  clarion  of  war  was  heard  in  the 
peaceful  streets  of  Augusta,  as  the  troops,  by  hundreds,  then 
and  there  were  "  mustering  in  hot  haste." 

Gen.  Bachelder  was  commander  of  the  western  division  of 
militia.  It  was  midwinter  in  Maine,  and  bitter  cold.  The 
regular  uniforms  afforded  no  sufficient  protection  for  a  winter 
campaign,  through  drifted  snows  and  freezing  gales,  in  a  region 
where  the  mercury  often  sank  twenty-five  or  thirty  degrees  be- 
low zero.  Extra  garments  were  speedily  supplied,  of  thick  red 
shirts  ^  and  pea-green  jackets.  Within  a  week  ten  thousand 
American  troops  were  either  in  Aroostook  County,  or  on  the 
march  there. 

The  National  Government  was  roused.  Congress  passed  a 
bill  authorizing  the  President  of  the  United  States,  should  the 
governor  of  New  Brunswick  fulfil  his  threat  of  maintaining 
exclusive  jurisdiction  over  the  territory  in  dispute,  to  raise  fifty 
thousand  troops  for  the  support  of  Maine,  and  appropriating 
ten  million  dollars  to  meet  the  expense.  On  the  5th  of  March", 
Gen.  Scott,  with  his  staff,  reached  Augusta.  He  informed  the 
governor  that  he  was  "  specially  charged  with  maintaining  the 
peace  and  safety  of  the  entire  northern  and  eastern  frontiers." 
He  took  quarters  at  the  Augusta  House,  and  immediately  en- 
tered into  correspondence  with  both  Gov.  Harvey  of  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  Gov.  Fairfield  of  Maine.  Having  thirty  thousand 
troops  whom  he  could  call  into  the  field,  he  humanely  endeav- 
ored to  act  the  part  of  a  peacemaker.  The  result  was  that  Gov. 
Harvey  pledged  himself,  that,  in  prosr^ect  of  the  peaceful  settle- 

28 


iS4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


ment  of  the  question  between  the  two  nations,  he  would  not 
take  military  possession  of  the  territory,  or  endeavor  to  expel 
from  it  the  civil  potise  or  the  troops  of  Maine.  On  the  other 
hand,  Gov.  Fairfield  pledged  himself  that  he  would  not,  without 
renewed  instructions,  disturb  any  of  the  New  Brunswick  settle- 
ments in  the  Madawaska  region.  He  agreed  to  withdraw  his 
troops,  and  leave  uninterrupted  communication  between  New 
Brunswick  and  Canada. 

This  settlement  brought  peace.  The  prisoners  on  both  sides 
were  set  at  liberty.  In  March,  the  Aroostook  region,  which 
had  previously  formed  a  portion  of  Penobscot  and  Washington 
Counties,  was  erected  into  a  new  county  bearing  its  original 
name.  It  was  generally  supposed  that  the  prompt  military 
preparation  we  had  made,  which  gave  us  unquestionably  the 
command  of  the  position,  had  great  influence  with  the  British 
authorities  in  securing  a  peaceful  settlement. 

This,  however,  was  but  a,  temporary  arrangement.  The  rival 
claims  were  still  to  be  adjudicated.  Two  years  passed  away 
while  the  question  continued  to  be  discussed  by  the  two  gov- 
ernments. In  the  year  1841,  William  Henr}^  Harrison  was 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  Daniel  Webster  Secretary 
of  State.  The  sudden  death  of  Pres.  Harrison  introduced  the 
Vice-President,  John  Tyler,  to  the  Presidential  chair.  The 
importance  of  the  boundary  question  induced  Mr.  Webster  still 
to  remain  in  the  oflSce  of  Secretary,  though  differing  with  Mr. 
Tyler  in  political  views.  In  the  year  1842  Lord  Ashburton 
came  to  Washington,  the  British  ambassador  authorized  to  form 
a  new  treaty  for  the  settlement  of  the  boundary.  An  extra 
session  was  called  of  the  legislature  of  Maine.  Commissioners 
were  appointed  to  confer  with  Lord  Ashburton  and  Secretary 
Webster  upon  this  subject.  The  troublesome  question  was  soon 
brought  to  an  amicable  settlement.  England  greatly  needed  a 
portion  of  this  territory,  that  there  might  be  free  communi- 
cation between  New  Brunswick  and  Canada. 

Maine  surrendered  a  considerable  tract  which  was  of  but 
little  value.  In  compensation  the  United  States  received  terri- 
tory of  much  greater  value,  on  the  borders  of  Lakes  Champlain 
and  Superior;     The  National  Government  paid  Mains  one  hun- 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


485 


dred  aud  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  surrender.  The  State 
also  received  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  as  re-imbursement 
for  the  expense  she  had  incurred  in  defenf'ing  the  integrity  of 
American  territory.  The  Senate  of  the  bnited  States  ratified 
the  ^.shburton  Treaty,  as  it  was  called,  on  the  20th  of  August, 
1842.  Impartial  judgment  must  pronounce  the  conduct  of 
Maine,  in  this  whole  afifair,  to  have  been  patriotic  and  wise. 

In  the  year  1841,  Mr.  Edward  Kent  again  filled  the  chaii  of 
shief  executive.    The  subsequent  governors  have  been :  — 


1842  John  Fairfield 

1843  John  Fairfield  (elected  to  TJ.  S 

1843  Edward  Kavanagh  (acting)  . 

1844  Hugh  J.  Anderson     . 
1847  John  W.  Dana      . 

1850  John  Hubbard  .       .        • 

1863  W.  G.  Crosby 

1866  Anson  P.  Morrill 

1856  Samuel  Wells 

1867  Hannibal  Hamlin  (elected  to  U. 

1857  Joseph  S.  Williams  (acting) 

1858  Lot  M.  Morrill      . 
1861  Israel  Washburn,  jr. 

1863  AbnerCoburn 

1864  Samuel  Cony      . 
1867  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain 
1871  Sidney  Perham 
1874  Nelson  Dingley,  jr.      . 
1876  Selden  Connor. 

1879  Alonzo  Garcelon   . 

1880  Daniel  F.  Davis 

1881  Harris  M.  Plaisted 
1883  Frederick  Robie 
1887  Joseph  R.  Hodwell  (died  Dec. 
18«J7  Sebastian  S.  Marble   (octtn^) 
1889  Edwin  0.  Burleigh 


Senate) 


S.  Senate) 


16,1887) 


Saco. 

Saco. 

Newcastle, 

Belfast. 

Fryeburg. 

Hallowell. 

Belfast. 

Beadfield. 

Portland. 

Hampden. 

Augusta. 

Augusta. 

Orono. 

Skowhegan 

Augusta. 

Brunswick. 

Paris. 

Lewiston. 

Augusta. 

Lewiston. 

Corinth. 

Bangor. 

Gorham. 

Hallowell. 

Waldoboi* 

Augusta. 


^- 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


THE    SCANDINAVIAN   IMMiaBATION. 


Origin  of  the  Movement— The  Plan  adopted— Mission  of  Mr.  Thomas  to 
Sweden— Wise  Measures  Triumphantly  Successful— The  Voyage  of  the 
Immigrants— Their  Hospitable  Reception— New  Sweden  — The  Primeval 
Forest — Labors  of  the  Colonists — Their  Industry  and  Prosperity— Increas- 
ing Immigration  —  Interesting  Letter  from  Sweden— Present  State  of  the 
Colony — Future  Prospects. 

ONE  of  the  most  interesting  events  which  has  ever  occurred 
in  the  State  of  Maine  is  what  may  be  called  the  Scandi- 
navian immigration.  For  this  important  movement,  the  State 
is  mainly  indebted  to  the  sagacity  and  energy  ot  Hon.  William 
W.  Thomas,  jun.,  of  Portland. 

Mr.  Thomas  graduated  at  Bowdoin  College  in  the  year  1860. 
Two  years  after  graduating  he  was  appointed  vice-consul  at 
Constantinople,  and  soon  after  consul  at  Galatz  in  the  princi- 
pality of  Moldavia.  His  services  there  were  considered  so 
importanti  that  the  Department  of  State  deemed  him  worthy  of 
a  vote  of  "  special  thanks." 

In  the  year  1863  he  was  appointed  consul  at  Gothenburg, 
in  Sweden.  He  remained  there  three  years ;  became  familiar 
with  the  language,  and  acquainted  with  the  manners  f*nd 
customs  of  the  people^  Upon  resigning  this  important  office, 
the  State  Department  again  took  occasion  to  express  its  high 
appreciation  of  his  measures  as  a  public  officer. 

In  the  year  1866  he  opened  an  office,  as  a  lawyer,  in  Portland ; 
and  in  1869  became  one  of  the  commissioners  in  the  settlement 
of  the  public  lands  of  the  State.  In  1870,  invested  with  the 
office  of  Commissioner  of  Immigration,  he  sailed  for  Sweden, 

rctufued  with  its  members  to 


UCXC     IXC 


rccruibSu 

486 


E  cOiOiiy, 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


487 


Maine,  and  founded  Ne\y  Sweden  in  our  northern  forests.  He 
then  took  a  seat  in  the  State  Legislature,  and,  in  the  years  1874 
and  1875,  was  Speaker  of  the  House. 

Such,  in  brief,  was  the  origin  of  this  very  important  move- 
ment, which  merits  a  more  minute  detail  of  its  progress  from 
its  commencement  to  its  present  success. 

The  subject  of  Swedish  immigration  had  been,  for  some  time, 
a  topic  of  public  discussion,  when  Gov.  Washburn  called  the 
attention  of  the  legislature  to  it,  in  his  message  of  1861.  The 
troubles  of  the  times  engrossed  all  the  energies  and  thoughts  of 
the  people,  until  Gen.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  was  called  to  the 
gubernatorial  chair.  He  eloquently  urged  the  question  upon 
the  legislature.  It  was  fully  discussed.  Tliree  commissioners 
were  appointed  to  report  what  measures  were  necessary  to  in- 
duce settlements  in  the  unpeopled  to^<'nship8.  These  were 
Hon.  Parker  P.  Burleigh,  William  W.  Thomas,  jun.,  and  Hon. 
William  Small.  The  commissioners,  having  carefully  explored 
Aroostook  County,  reported,  in  1870,  in  favor  of  making  vigor- 
ous eflEbrts  to  establish  a  Swedish  colony  in  Maine.  It  was  pro- 
posed that  an  agent  should  be  sent  to  Sweden  ;  that  he  should 
endeavor  to  collect  twenty-five  families,  with  their  pastor,  and 
conduct  them  across  the  Atlantic,  to  what  was  then  township 
No.  15,  in  the  3d  range.  Here,  in  a  perfectly  healthy  climate, 
very  similar  to  their  r  vn,  wHh  fertile  soil,  abundant  timber, 
pure  water,  and  pure  air,  ar^^L  farms  were  to  be  assigned  them 
without  cost.  None  were  to  be  received  but  honest  and  indus- 
trious farmers  and  laborers  with  their  families,  who  had  suffi- 
cient property  to  pay  the  expenses  of  their  passage. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  sent  on  this  important  mission.  Taking 
passage  on  the  steamship  "  City  of  Brooklyn,"  he  landed  at 
Gothenburg,  Sweden,  on  the  16th  of  May,  1870.  Here  he 
established  his  office,  and  spread  broadcast  over  the  land  circu- 
lars inviting  immigration,  and  truthfully  describing  the  country 
offered  them  for  their  future  homes.  Mr.  Thomas  also  travelled 
extensively,  conversing  with  the  people  upon  the  subject,  by 
the  road-side,  in  the  public  vehicles,  and  at  their  homes. 
Particular  stress  was  laid  upon  the  fact,  that  none  would  be 
accepted  but  those  who  could  bring  the  most  saiisfactory  testi- 


«M 


THE  BISTORr  OF  MAINE. 


moniala  for  integrity  of  oharacter,  and  for  industry  and  skill  in 
their  several  callings. 

The  Swedes  are  a  highly  industrious,  moral,  and  Christian 
people.  Their  religious  institutions  were  essentially  like  those 
prevailing  in  Maine.  Recruits  soon  began  to  appear.  Each 
man  brought  credentials  from  his  pastor.  No  doubtful  case  was 
accepted.  In  this  way  a  colony  of  picked  men,  with  their  wives 
and  families,  was  collected. 

The  colonists  and  their  friends  met  on  the  28d  of  June,  in 
the  Baptist  Hall  in  Gothenburg,  to  enjoy  a  public  collation. 
Over  two  hundred  Swedes  were  present.  Addresses  were 
made  by  the  commissioner  and  by  Swedish  gentlemen.  It  was 
a  momentous  occasion,  and  appropriately  closed  by  prayer. 

At  noon  of  Saturday,  June  25,  Mr.  Thomas,  with  his 
adventurous  and  confiding  band,  sailed  from  Gothenburg,  in 
the  steamship  "  Orlando."  The  commissioner  had  been  in 
Sweden  bur-  forty  days.  There  must  have  been  something 
singularly  potent  in  the  influence  of  Mr.  Thomas,  to  enable  him 
to  induce  these  worthy  and  intelligent  men  to  abandon  home 
and  country,  to  cross  a  stormy  ocean  of  four  thousand  miles, 
and  to  hew  out  for  themselves  new  homes  in  the  wilderness  of 
a  strange  land ;  with  no  contract,  and  nothing  upon  which  they 
could  rely  but  their  faith  in  the  honesty  of  the  commissioner. 
It  is  indeed  refreshing  to  one  who  is  weary  of  describing  the 
wrong  and  outrage  with  which  earth  is  filled,  to  be  able  to 
record  that  Mr.  Thomas  was  true  to  his  trust. 

The  colony  consisted  of  twenty-two  men,  eleven  women,  and 
eighteen  children;  fifty-one  in  all.  The  noble  character  of 
these  men  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  they  took  with 
them  their  pastor,  their  sabbath,  and  their  church  observances. 
In  addition  to  the  farmers  and  their  religious  teacher,  there  was 
a  civil  engineer,  a  blacksmith,  two  carpenters,  a  basket-maker, 
a  wheelwright,  a  baker,  a  tailor,  and  a  shoemaker.  The  women 
were  neat,  industrious,  and  expert  in  the  use  of  the  spinning- 
tvheel  and  the  loom.  It  was  said  of  the  men,  "  All  are  tall  and 
stalwart,  with  blue  eyes,  light  hair,  and  cheerful,  honest  faces. 
There  is  not  a  physical  defect  or  blemish  among  them."  ^ 

•  Commiasimers'  Report,  p.  5. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


489 


The  emigrants  landed  at  Halifax  on  the  18th  of  July, 
traversed  the  peiiiuBula,  crossed  the  broad  Bay  of  Fundy,  and 
ascended  the  River  St.  John.  They  arrived  at  Tobique,  on  the 
St.  John,  in  New  Brunswick,  on  the  2l8t  of  July,  and  the  next 
day,  Friday,  July  22,  drove  across  the  border  into  Maine.  At 
Fort  Fairfield  the  American  flag  was  raised  to  welcome  them, 
a  salute  wa»»  fired  in  honor  of  their  arrival,  and  they  were  wel- 
comed by  addresses  from  Judge  William  Small,  and  from  Rev. 
Daniel  Stickney  of  Presque  Isle.  There  was  quite  a  festivity 
at  I  he  Fort  or*  this  joyful  occasion  ;  and  many  settlers  from  the 
surrounding  region  had  assembled  to  present  the  hand  of  frater- 
nal welcome  to  the  strangers.     How  beautiful  is  peace  1 

The  Swedes  were  invited  to  a  sumptuous  collation  in  the 
Town  Hall ;  and  then,  with  grateful  hearts  and  strengthened 
resolutions,  they  continued  their  journey  still  farther  north,  to 
find  their  new  homes.     As  they  approached  Caribou,  five  hun- 
dred people  met  them,  and  pscorted  them  into  the  village  with 
the  salute  of  cannon  and  the  music  of  a  fine  brass  band.     Here 
again   their  hearts  were   cheered  by  words   of  welcome   from 
John  S.  Arnold,  Esq. ;  and  their  bodies  were  refreshed  with  an 
abundant  feast,  and  they  were  hospitably  entertained  through 
the  night.     Mr.  Thomas  acted  as  interpreter  on  these  occasions. 
At  noon  of  Saturday,  July  23,  1870,  the  emigrants  reached 
their  new  home,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of  New  Sweden. 
It  is  said  there  is  no  better  township  in  the  State.     It  is  in  the 
latitude  of  the  flourishing  city  of  Quebec.     The  land  is  undu- 
lating, and  covered  with  a  splendid  growth  of  maple,  birch, 
beech,  and  ash.     Brooks  flow  through  all  the  little  valleys,  and 
the  soil  is  remarkably  free  from  stones.     The  State,  previously 
to  the  arrival  of  the  strangers,  had  cut  a  road  through  the 
forest  to  the  township  ;  had  felled  one  hundr-^  i  an  '  twenty-five 
acres  of  trees,  and  had   constructed  for  them  si  '    ;omfortable 
log  houses.     The  long  line  of  heavily  loaded  wagons  wound 
their  way  along  the  newly  constructed  road,  with  the  primeval 
forest,  in  its  gigantic  grandeur,  rising  on  either  side.     The 
colonists,  upon  their  arrival,  used  one  of  these  houses  as  a  store- 
house,  while   the    fifty   men,   women,   and    children,   though 
crovr'dcd,  were  comfnrtAhly  aocommodated  in  the  other  five. 


I 


440 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  sabbath  dawned  happily  upon  this  favored  little  band. 
Sweetly  the  melody  of  their  Swedish  hymns  blended  with  all 
the  voices  of  nature  around  them.  There  was,  of  course,  some 
choice  in  the  farms;  but  the  question  was  amicably  adjusted 
by  drawing  lots.  The  settlers  were  divided  into  gi'oups  of  four 
friendly  families,  and  the  farms  into  clusters  of  four,  with  the 
cottages  to  be  reared  at  the  contiguous  corners.  Thus  intimate 
friends  could  form  one  neighborhood.     Mr.  Thomas  reports  : 

"Every  Swede  was  convinced  that  just  the  right  lot  had  fallen  to  him; 
Rad  waa  enabled  to  find  something  about  his  possessions  which,  in  his  eye, 
made  it  superior  to  all  others.  So  surely  does  ownership  beget  content- 
ment, ■ '  1 

With  hands  made  strongp:  »  -  'oyful  hearts,  the  Swedes  went 
to  work  clearing  up  their  farms.  One  hundred  acres  of  forest 
were  assigned  to  each.  The  houses,  which  had  been  built  for 
them,  were  very  comfortable  residences,  of  peeled  logs,  eighteen 
feet  by  twenty-six,  on  the  ground.  They  were  one  and  a  half 
stories  high,  with  seven  feet  between  the  floors.  There  were 
two  logs  above  the  second  floor  beams,  which,  with  a  square 
pitch  roof,  gave  ample  room  for  chambers.  The  ground  floor 
was  divided  into  three  apartments.  There  was  one  front  room 
sixteen  feet  by  eighteen  one  bedroom  ten  feet  square  and  a 
pantry  eight  feet  by  ten.  On  this  floor  there  were  four  windows, 
and  one  window  on  the  front  gable  end  above. 

In  the  general  room  of  oh  house  there  was  a  Hampden 
noking-stove,  with  a  funnel  running  out  through  an  iron  plate 
in  the  roof.  These  cottages,  full  of  interior  comfort,  were 
architecturally  picturesque  ;  and  the  inmates,  happy  and  grate- 
ful, entered  upon  their  laborb  with  great  zeal.  Within  a  week 
after  their  arrival,  these  our  prosperous  adopted  citizens  wrote 
a  joint  letter  to  their  friends  in  Sweden,  in  which  they  said 
that  Maine  had  kept  its  faith  with  them  in  every  particular ; 
thai  the  land  was  fertile,  the  climate  pleasant,  and  the  inhabit- 
ants friendly.  They  strongly  advised  all  their  countrymen  who 
thought  of  emigrating  to  America,  to  come  to  the  congenial 

1  Commissioners'  Report  to  the  Legislature,  p.  9.  We  are  indebted  to  this 
admirable  report,  which  must  make  every  son  of  Maine  proud  of  his  State,  for 
nearly  all  the  facts  recorded  in  this  chapter. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


441 


I 


climate,  the  ricli  soil,  and  the  kindly  neighborhood  of  New 
Sweden,  in  Maine. 

This  letter  was  widely  circulated  by  the  journals  in  Sweden. 
In  the  fall  the  Swedes  had  made  such  progress  in  their  clear- 
ings, that  every  farmer  had  sown  an  acre  or  half  an  acre  with 
wheat  or  rye.  The  colony  rapidly  increased.  On  the  14th  of 
September,  twelve  additional  emigrants  arrived  ;  and  on  the  Slst 
of  October  twenty  more  followed,  directly  from  Sweden.  There 
were  three  births  and  two  marriages.  The  sabbath,  the  greatest 
blessing  God  ever  gave  t(  aan,  shed  its  benignant  influence 
upon  the  happy,  religious  colony.  A  sabbath  school  was 
opened  for  the  children,  and  divine  service  was  regularly  con- 
ducted by  their  excellent  pastor. 

Through  the  wise  foretuought  of  the  surveyor  of  the  tovvu- 
ship,  Hon.  Noah  Barker,  fifty  acres  in  the  centre  of  the  settle- 
ment were  reserved  for  public  uses.  This  land  belonged  to 
the  State.  Here  the  State  erected  a  building  thirty  feet  by 
forty-five,  two  stories  high,  with  a  very  capacious  cellar,  frost- 
proof. A  neat  tower,  surmounted  by  a  vane,  rose  from  the 
front  gable  end.  A  store-room  and  offices  were  on  the  lower 
floor.  The  second  story  contained  a  large  hall,  thirty  feet  by 
forty-five,  which  was  used  for  a  church,  a  schoolhouse,  and 
public  meetings  in  general. 

The  main  body  of  the  emigrants  had  arrived  in  the  midst  of 
the  heat  of  summer.     The  houses  were  not  prepared  to  bid 
defiance  to  the  blasts  of  a  Maine  winter.    But  cold  weather  was 
a  foe  whom  the  Swedes  knew  well  how  to  encounter.     As  the 
autumnal  nights  grew  long,  and    .'evere  frosts  began  to  set  in, 
they  all  turned  their  attention  to  promoting  the  comforts  of 
their  own  firesides.     With  split  planks,  they  made  their  floors 
double,  leaving  a  space  of  six  or  eight  inches  between.     This 
space  they  filled  with  dry  earth,  making  a  floor  so  tight  that 
the  fiercest  wintry  blast  could  not  force  through  it  a  single 
breath  of  aij.     The  upper  ceiling  was  also  made  perfectly  tight 
with  matched  boards.     They  hewed  the  round  logs  which  com- 
posed the  walls,  within  and  without,  so  as  to  present  nearly  a 
square  surface.     The  interstices  between  the  logs  were  filled 
very  compactly  with  dried  moss.     Over  this  thev  nailed,  both 
on  the  outside  and  the  inside,  strips  of  cedar. 


442 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Thus  the  houses,  out  of  doors  and  within  the  rooms,  pre- 
sented a  finished  aspect,  smooth  and  perpendicular.  The  rooms 
were  attractive.  Neither  clapboards,  stone,  nor  brick  could 
present  a  more  perfect  defence  against  the  fiercest  storms. 
Fuel  was  abundant.  When  the  little  households  were  gathered 
around  these  bright,  warm  firesides,  it  mattered  little  to  them 
how  low  the  mercury  might  sink  in  their  thermometers.  The 
climate  was  so  healthy,  that,  in  the  a'ltumn,  it  was  said  that 
there  had  not  been  a  day's  sickness  of  man,  woman,  or  child  in 
New  Sweden. 

The  houses,  with  all  the  improvements,  remained  the  prop- 
erty of  the  State  for  five  years  from  the  arrival  of  the  colonists. 
If,  in  the  mean  time,  any  one  abandoned  the  place,  he  left  his 
cottage  and  his  land  in  the  hands  of  the  State.  If  he  or  his 
heirs  retained  the  cottage  as  ^^eir  home  for  that  length  of  time, 
it  became,  with  the  hundred  litres,  his  or  theirs  in  fee  simple. 
The  expense  of  transporting  the  colony  from  Sweden  to  Maine 
was  four  thousand  dollars.  The  immigrants  paid  every  dollar 
of  this.  They  also  took  with  them  into  New  Sweden,  three 
thousand  dollars  in  cash  and  six  tons  of  baggage.  This  was 
adding  just  so  much  to  the  riches  of  the  State. 

Every  Swede  who  set  out  with  the  original  company  from 
Scandinavia,  with  the  commissioner,  adhered  to  his  pledge,  and 
settled  in  New  Sweden.  Every  one  who  promised  soon  to 
follow  did  so.  Not  one  of  them  sought  a  home  elsewhere. 
And  we  do  not  learn  that  any  one  of  them,  at  any  time,  aban- 
doned the  enterprise.  In  December,  1^70,  but  five  months 
after  the  arrival  of  the  colonists,  the  following  results,  in  an 
official  report,  were  announced  :  — 

"  A  colony  of  one  hundred  and  fourteen  Swedes  —  fifty-eight  men,  twenty 
■women,  and  thirty-six  children  —  have  paid  their  own  passage  from  Sweden, 
and  settled  on  the  wild  lands  of  Maine.  Seven  miles  of  road  have  been  cut 
through  the  forest.  One  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  woods  have  been 
felled.  One  hundred  acres  have  been  hand-piled,  burnt  off,  and  cleared 
ready  for  a  crop,  and  twenty  acres  sown  to  winter  wheat  and  rye.  Twenty- 
bIx  dwelling-houses  and  one  public  biiilding  have  been  built. 

"A  knowledge  of  Maine,  its  resources  and  advantages,  has  been  scat- 
tered broadcast  over  Sweden  ;  a  portion  of  the  tide  of  Swedish  immigration 
turned  upon  our  State,  and  a  practical  beginning  made  towards  settling  our 


THE  HIBT0R7  OF  MAINE. 


4I» 


wild  lands,  and  peopling  our  domain  with  the  most  hardy,  honeat,  and. 
industrious  of  immigrants." 

It  is  pleasant  to  witness  the  interest  with  which  Sweden,  the 
mother  country,  watched  over  the  welfare  of  her  sons  and 
daughters  in  this  distant  land.  A  prominent  member  of  the- 
Swedish  Parliament,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  Swedish 
philosophers,  wrote  to  the  governor  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
mourning  over  the  departure  of  their  citizens,  and  yet  rejoicing 
in  view  of  their  prosperity.    In  this  letter  he  said,  — 

"  Your  commissioner,  Mr,  W.  W.  Thomas,  jun.,  one  evening  last  summer, 
assembled  his  little  colony  of  immigrants  to  partake  of  a  collation,  where 
good  wishes  and  kind  words  were  exchanged.  We,  the  remaining  friends, 
left  with  confidence  our  brethren  and  sisters  in  his  care :  his  last  and  firm 
assurance  was,  '  All  that  has  been  promised  will  be  kept.' 

"  Yes,  sir,  these  promises  have  been  kept,  but  not  only  that :  they  have 
been  far  surpassed  by  your  generosity.  The  poor  immigrants,  landing  on 
your  shores,  have  been  received  and  greetod  with  the  most  friendly  wel- 
come. Their  homes  established,  their  future  secured,  they  have  not  been 
disappointed  in  their  hopes  by  the  difficulties  and  grievances  of  the  real 
state  of  things. 

"  The  young  colony  will  probably  be  the  nucleus  of  an  extended  coloni- 
zation ;  and  you  will  not,  sir,  I  feel  sure,  find  the  hardy  Swedes  ungrateful, 
and  unworthy  of  your  kindness :  they  would  then,  surely,  be  unworthy  of 
their  origin. 

"  The  colony  of  '  New  Sweden '  has  requested  and  authorized  the  writer 
of  this  letter  to  convey  to  you.  Honorable  Governor  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
the  expression  of  their  sentiments  of  deep  gratitude ;  and  you  will  kindly 
allow  me,  sir,  to  add  thereto  the  expression  of  the  same  sentiments  of  many 
other  Swedes,  who  have  followed  the  immigrants  with  their  sympathies. 

"  Allow  me  at  the  same  time  to  express  to  the  people  of  Maine,  who  have 
received  their  new  brethren  with  so  much  cordiality,  the  thanks  of  the  colo- 
nists ;  who  have  mentioned  more  especially  two  gentlemen,  Mr.  W.  W. 
Thomas,  jim.,  and  Mr.  P.  P.  Burleigh,  land-agent,  as  objects  of  their  grati- 
tude and  high  esteem. 

"May  the  young  colony  of  '  New  Sweden '  grow  and  flourish,  not  only  in 
material  strength,  but  even  in  developing  their  moral  ai.  I  intellectual 
faculties  I  And  may  the  new  population  thus  add  to  your  Stato  and  to  your 
great  Kepublic  a  good  and  healthy  element  of  moral  power  from  the  Old 
World,  and,  becoming  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  your  free  institutions, 
reflect  that  spirit  on  their  native  land  1 

"What  we  have  lost,  at  present,  in  the  old  fatherland,  will  then  not  have 
been  lost  to  humanity:  on  the  contrary,  the  it&m  have  only  boon  ti^ns- 


444 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


planted  on  a  fresher  soil,  where  they  will  thrive  better,  and  give  richer  and 
more  abundant  fruits.    God  bless  the  harvest  I    God  bless  your  land  1 
« I  am,  sir,  with  the  highest  esteem, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

««G.  A.  Hedlund" 


■ 


Gov.  Chamberlain  had  taken  a  deep  interest  in  this  en- 
terprise, and  had  fostered  it  with  truly  parental  care.  The 
State  erected,  in  all,  twenty-six  houses  for  the  immigrants  who 
arrived  in  the  year  1870.  Since  then  the  Swedes  have  erected 
one  hundred  and  four  houses  in  addition.  Thus  their  settle- 
ment, early  in  1875,  numbered  a  hundred  and  thirty  houses. 
They  have  also  the  same  number  of  barns.  Two  steam-mills 
and  a  water-power  saw-mill  have  been  put  in  operation.  There 
is  a  very  prosperous  store  in  the  centre  of  the  village ;  and  it  is 
generally  admitted  that  the  Swedes  manufacture  the  best  shaved 
shingles  in  the  county.  Their  great  prosperity  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact,  that  they  owned,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
year  1875,  twenty-six  horses,  five  colts,  forty-one  oxen,  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty-one  cows,  nine  heifers,  fifty-one  calves,  sixty- 
eight  sheep,  and  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  swine.  They  had 
good  roads.  A  post-office  was  established  in  their  village. 
On  the  14tli  of  October  last,  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  men 
came  forward  to  take  the  preliminary  steps  toward  becoming 
citizens  of  the  land  of  their  adoption. 

The  Swedes  are  Protestants,  and  eminently  a  moral  and  reli- 
gious people.  They  have  a  day-school,  taught  by  their  pastor. 
There  is  an  average  attendance  of  eighty  scholars.  The  Eng- 
lish language  is  the  chief  study.  Most  of  the  children  over 
ten  years  of  age  can  read,  write,  and  speak  English  respectably 
well.  There  are  now  more  than  one  hundred  native  Americans 
born  of  these  Swedish  parents. 

About  one  thousand  Swedes  have  been  led  to  emigrate  to  this 
State,  who  have  not  taken  farms  in  New  Sweden,  but  who  have 
settled  in  Maine,  and  are  engaged  in  various  useful  employ- 
ments. The  young  girls  are  highly  prized  as  house-servants ; 
and  the  men  are  greatly  valued  for  their  industry  and  their 
integrity.  The  population  of  New  Sweden  now  amounts  to 
about  six  hundred.     There  are  not  less  than  sixteen  hundred 


THE  HIBTGRY  OF  MAINE. 


445 


Swedes  in  the  State  of  Maine.  These  have  all  paid  their  uvv^n 
passage,  have  brought  with  them  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
in  coin;  and  it  is  estimated  that  their  value,  as  a  producing 
force,  is  worth  to  the  State  one  million  six  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

It  is  now  certain  that  this  valuable  Swedish  immigration  will 
continue  to  flow  into  Maine.  All  special  State  supervision  over 
the  colony  has  ceased.  The  settlement  is  steadily  advancing  in 
prosperity.  Rapidly  the  forest  is  disappearing,  and  giving  place 
to  cultivated  fields  smiling  with  rich  harvests.  The  Swedes 
have  won  for  themselves  a  very  desirable  reputation.  Kindly 
feelings  arise  whenever  one  is  introduced  to  man  or  woman  as 
coming  from  Sweden. 

It  is  believed  that  this  successful  enterprise  in  founding  the 
colony  of  New  Sweden  will  eventually  lead  a  large  emigration 
of  the  population  of  Scandinavia  to  our  vast  northern  domain. 
The  Northmen,  justly  called  the  "sea-kings"  of  Northern 
Europe,  were  the  first  discoverers  of  the  shores  of  New  Eng- 
land, centuries  before  the  eyes  of  Columbus  caught  a  glimpse  of 
the  tropical  islands  of  this  New  World.  The  inhabitants  of 
Maine  will  ever  present  a  cordial  welcome  to  all  the  descend- 
ants of  those  bold  adventurers. 

"  Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due."  The  State  owes  a  debt  of 
gratitude,  which  it  will  be  ever  happy  to  acknowledge,  to  the 
illustrious  citizen  whose  sagacity  planned  this  great  enterprise, 
and  whose  energy  and  humanity  have  contributed  so  much  to 
its  successful  achievement.  The  Hon.  P.  P.  Burleigh,  in  a 
report  as  land-agent  of  the  State,  wiites,  — 

«  For  this  new  impulse  in  the  great  pioneer  work  of  settlement,  the  State 
is  principally  indebted  to  the  skill  and  untiring  efforts  of  the  commissioner 
of  emigration,  Mr.  W.  W.  Thomas,  jun ,  who  has,  on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic,  devoted  himself  to  the  cause  in  a  manner  worthy  the  thanks  of 
the  State.  The  success  which  has  thus  far  crowned  his  efforts  is  a  fitting 
testimony  to  his  faithfulness  and  ability  in  the  conduct  of  th?  enterprise." 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


THE  PICTUEESQUE  ATTRACTIONS  OF  MAIKB. 

Portland  and  Casco  Bay  — Seashore  Resorts — Isles  of  Shoals  —  The  Beaches  — 
Cape  Arundel  and  Old  Orchard  —  Bath  to  Rockland,  and  up  the  Penobscot  — 
Mount  Desert  — Lake  Sebago  —  Mt.  Pleasant  and  the  Saco  — The  Valley  of 
the  Androscoggin  —  Rangeley  Lakes  and  Sandy  River — The  Kennebec  Valley 
—  Moosehead  Lake  and  the  Aroostook. 

[For  the  chapter  which  follows,  we  are  indebted  to  the  pen  of  Rev.  Prof. 
Edward  Payson  Thwiug  of  Brooklyn,  N.Y.  It  is  from  personal  observation 
that  he  has  been  able  to  give  so  grapluo  a  description  of  scenery  which  charms 
every  beholder,] 

A  PARTY*of  gentlemen  at  Venice  were  discussing  the  relative 
attractiveness  of  localities  visited  by  them.*  It  vas  conceded 
that  Italy  abounded  in  magnificent  scenery ;  but  one  of  them, 
not  an  American,  affirmed  that  the  finest  prospects  he  had  ever 
enjoyed  were  at 

PORTLAND  AND  CASCO  BAY. 

Latrobe,  the  English  traveller,  writes,  "  Imagine  our  surprise 
and  delight  when  we  found,  in  unsung  and  neglected  Portland, 
scenery  that  for  beauty,  variety,  and  extent,  far  exceeds  any 
views  of  the  class  in  the  States."  He  adds  that  the  panorama 
nu  which  the  eye  feasts  at  the  Observatory  on  Munjoy  Hill  is 
equalled  by  nothing  in  America,  except  at  the  citadel  of  Quebec. 
The  Forest  City  still  keeps  the  bulk  of  her  beautiful  trees ; 
and  the  palatial  edifices  that  have  risen  from  the  ashes  of  the 
fire  of  1866  attract  admiration,  not  only  as  architectural  embel- 
lishments, but  as  evidences  of  the  enterprise  of  her  people. 
The  Castom  House,  Post-Office,  City  Hall,  and  Hospital,  the 
cathedials,  churches,  school  edifices,  and  many  of  the  elegant 
private  residences  that  adorn  the  slopes  of  either  hill,  present 

440 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


44'« 


au  imposing  appearance  to  the  stranger  entering,  the  harbor. 
Nor  is  the  view  less  picturesque  from  ti.o  bay  m  the  rear  of 
Portland,  -v  from  the  and  promenades  of  Bramhall's  Hill  and 
Munjoy,  looKuig  seaward,  or  in  the  direction  of  the  White 
Mountains. 

The  location  of  the  city,  its  healthfulncss,  and  the  beauty  of 
its  surroundings,  with  its  matchless  harbor  and  bay  gemmed 


I'OUTLAND  OBSKKVATORY. 

With  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  islands,  and  ito  abundant 
railroad  facihties,  make  its  future  growth  and  prosperity  certain. 
Iwo  lines  of  railway  have  long  connected  it  with  Boston: 
but  the  new  extension  of  the  Boston  and  Maine  Railroad  along 
the  seashore  opens  a  delightful  route  for  the  summer  tourist, 
while  the  short  line  from  New  York,  vid  Worcester,  Nashua 
•^^'d  Rochester,  reduces  time  and  trouble,  besides  conducting 


448 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


him  through  the  diversified  scenery  of  Southern  New  Hamp- 
shu-e,  and  so  along  the  valley  of  the  Presumpscot  to  Portland. 
The  excellent  facilities  for  steamboat  travel  between  New  York 
or  Boston  and  the  Forest  City  are  all  that  can  be  desired  by 


CITT  HALIi,  PORTLAND. 

those  who  believe  that  the  summer  resorts  of  Maine  are  equal 
to  those  of  more  pretentious  claims. 

In  Longfellow's  poem,  "  My  Lost  Youth,"  the  poet  tells  ill 
verse  of  tiie  charms  of  his  native  place, — 

«'  The  beautiful  town  that  is  seated  by  the  sea." 

In  the  recently  pubUshed  volume  "  Portland  Illustrated,"  by 
John  Neal,  the  tourist  will  find  every  thing  necessary  to  guide 
his  steps  in  the  city,  or  the  charming  environs.    A  brief  sketch 


THE  HISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


449 


in 


by 

de 
ch 


will  now  be  given  of  the  seashore  resorts.  Drake's  "  Nooks  and 
Corners  "  is  the  completest  manual  for  the  New  England  coast, 
and  18  indispensable  to  a  full  outfit. 

SEASHORE  BESOBTS. 

The  Isles  of  Shoals  are  eight  in  number,  and  part  of  them 
belong  m  Maine.  The  cairn  on  the  summit  of  Appledore  is  said 
to  have  been  erected  by  Oapt.  John  Smith  in  1614 ;  and  tales  of 


CUSTOM  HOUSE,  PORTLAND. 

Capt.  Kidd  and  his  treasure,  Black  Dinah  and  her  divining  rod, 
Phihp  Babb  with  his  ghostly  knife,  besides  more  recent  trage- 
dies, invest  these  wild,  rocky  islets  with  peculiar  interest.  The 
distance  from  main  land  is  but  nine  miles,  and  steamboats  con- 
nect with  the  Eastern  Railroad  at  Portsmouth.  Pullman  cars 
run  on  all  through  trains  on  this  road.  Invalids  to  whom  a  sea- 
voyage  has  been  recommended,  especially  those  suffering  from 
—^ ,  „B,.  ,„  ,,.no  oaiuuiiuus  ciimace  of  these  islands  entire 


450 


THE  HI  STORY  OF  MAINE 


relief,  and  eniov  the  benefits  of  a  sea-voyago  without  its  dia- 
jomforts. 

A]i[1eil()i('  :  '  '  Star  Islands  have  each  a  large  and  elegant 
hotel,  with  eveiy  facility  for  bathing,  fishing,  and  sailing.  The 
Qoriat  and  naturalist  only  need  Celia  Thaxter's  dainty  little  vol- 
ume to  tell  them  where  to  find  the  hausts  of  the  sea-anemones, 
the  scarlet  pimpernel,  the  crimson  sorrel,  the  purple  pea,  and 


POST  OFFICE,   TOUT  I -AND. 

the  varied  finny  tribes,  bonito  and  bliie-fi:ili,  the  slender  pollock, 
the  thrasher,  and  porpoise.  Her  exquisite  pictures  of  scenery, 
and  her  tragic  tales  of  storm  and  shipwreck,  are  full  of  interest 
to  the  tourist. 

Kittery,  one  of  the  oldest  towns,  has  many  attractions ;  among 
them  the  U.  S.  Navy  Yard,  Fort  McClary,  and  the  mansion 
;ird  tomb  of  the  Pepperells,  the  old  church  and  pai'sonage. 
There  is  a  new  hotel  at  the  Point. 


St 
01 

n( 
T 
ai 
or 

al 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


4AI 


tit 
le 

.1- 

8, 

id 


Froip  Kittery,  along  the  shore  northward,  there  are  delightful 
views  of  ocean,  mountain,  and  river.  Near  the  site  of  the 
ancient  city  of  York,  Mount  Agaraenticus  towers ;  and  but  a 
short  ride  from  the  cars  is  York  Beach,  two  mQes  long  and  five 
hundred  feet  wide.  The  views  from  "  The  Pulpit,"  the  topmost 
point  of  Bald  Head  Cliff,  rising  a  hundred  feet  abruptly  abovs 
the  sea,  from  Cape  Neddock,  "  The  Nubble,"  and  Boone  Island, 
attract  many  visitors. 

Welh  Beach,  six  miles  long,  is  much  frequented,  being  so  near 
the  new  railroad  from  Boston,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  trout- 


7. 

St 


)n 
e. 


TIIK  CLIFFS.  CAPK  ARtlNDKL.  MK. 

Streams  and  woods,  where  the  sportsman  finds  the  snipe,  the 

curlew,  the  woodcock,  the  partridge,  and  other  game.  Ample 
private  and  public  accommodations  are  had  for  guests.  Passing 
northward,  and  crossing  Mousam  River,  Kennebunk  is  reached. 
Twenty.five  minutes  ride  in  easy  coaches  brings  one  to  the  Port, 
and  Cape  Arundel,  where  is  one  of  the  finest  summer  resorta 
on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

Unlike  Newport  in  elaborate  beauty  or  tiresome  convention- 
alities, it  offers  a  peculiar  charm  for  those  who  prefer  the 
grander  primitive  attractions  of  forest  and  shore,  the  beauty  of 


I 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


40a 


native  wild»"»p'-  and  the  restful  quiet  of  simpler  living,  with 
unfettf*  .1  .lunion  with  Nature  herself.  Unlike  almost  all 
water  j-pia-  es,  it  has  neither  the  hot  land-breeze  nor  the  bitter 
east  w'v.L  ■{'.  ect,  but,  facing  the  south-west,  a  uniform,  equable 
and 'nvig  .  ig  air,  night  and  day.  There  are  three  beaches 
in  en  ^cen^  -urves,  suited  for  riding  or  bathing,  bold  headlands 
with  r-"'c9  hih!  chasms,  volcanic  beds,  "  The  Blowing  Cave,"  — 
»  huge  watery  cannon  sending  out  explosions,  —  spouting  rocks, 
a  ruined  fort,  "Hermit's  Retreat,"  and  other  localities  that 
will  be  appreciated  by  the  naturalist,  the  artist,  or  idler  in  search 
of  healthful  repose.  Cape  Porpoise,  the  Goose  Rocks,  and  the 
White  Mountains  nil  up  a  picture  of  enchanting  loveliness 
when  evening  comes,  — 

"  With  sunset  purple,  soothing  all  the  wast*." 

A  number  of  literary  and  business  men  from  Boston  have  en- 
joyed cottage  life  here  the  past  three  years ;  but  recently  the 
name  of  Cape  Arundel  has  so  widely  spread,  that  the  veteran 
hotel-keeper  of  New  England  has  opened  a  spacious  and  com- 
fortable hostelry,  in  connection  with  which  ample  provision  is 
made  for  fishing,  riding,  bathing,  or  sailing. 

Keeping  along  the  coast  a  few  miles  farther,  the  cars  stop 
at  Biddeford  and  Saco,  from  either  of  which  cities  the  "  Pool " 
and  Wood  Island  may  be  reached,  —  delightful  retreats,  with 
groves  where  picnics  gather,  and  quiet  nooks  that  look  out  over 
the  blue  Atlantic.  There  is  also  a  waterfall  on  Foxwell's 
stream,  sixty  feet  in  height,  with  varied  and  wild  scenery. 

Old  Orchard  is  quite  a  populous  village,  which  has  sprung  up 
by  magic,  as  it  were,  since  the  new  route  of  travel  passes  this 
favorite  watering-place.  A  hard,  smooth  beach  extends  nine 
miles,  and  so  wide  that  a  dozen  or  more  carriages  may  drive 
abreast.  Several  hotels  and  a  score  of  smaller  houses  are 
open  during  the  season.  Pine  Point,  Prout's  Neck,  Blue  Point, 
are  easily  accessible. 

Old  Orchard  has  been  a  place  of  summer  resort  for  two  hun- 
dred years.  The  orchard  that  gave  the  name,  long  ago  disap- 
peared ;  and  but  three  gravestones  remain  over  the  dust  of  the 
ancient  colonists  that  once  found  there  a  home.     The  scenio 


iS4 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


and  historic  mingle  their  charms  in  this  romantic  spot.  Tho 
sequestered  loveliness  of  Fern  Park,  naar  the  site  of  the  Old 
Orchard  House,  lias  hardly  a  parallel  in  the  country.  To  the 
natural  beauty  of  a  hillsidti  forest,  are  added  graceful  arbors, 
rustic  retreats  wrought  by  cunning  art,  and  embellished  with 
quaint  conceits;  while  the  trees  along  the  avenues  bear  on 
wooden  tablets  elegant  extracts  from  English  and  American 
po^ts.  The  Oratory,  the  Astronomer'?  Seat,  the  Parson's  Lodge, 
and  the  monument  to  Mr.  Bull  the  projector,  are  among  the 
most  interesting  objects. 


OLD  ORCHARD  BEACH.  MK. 

The  Methodists  have  wisely  chosen  Old  Orchard  for  camp- 
meotings,  bolh  local  and  national.  They  own  about  fifty  acres 
01  Lmd,  pleasantly  diversified  and  shaded ;  also  a  fine  auditorium 
formed  by  natural  circular  slopes,  and  capable  of  seating  twenty 
thousand  people.  A  large  number  of  permanent  cottages  have 
been  erected,  and  streets  laid  out.  It  bids  fair  to  be  a  successful 
rival  of  Martha's  \^inevard. 


THE  mSTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


455 


Short  excursions  from  Portland  to  the  islands  of  Casco  Bay, 
White  Eead,  Cape  Elizabeth,  Harpswell,  and  Freeport,  will  de- 
lightfully employ  the  leisure  of  one's  summer  days.  Eastman's 
"Eastern  Coast  Guide,"  Mr.  Kellogg's  "Elm  Island  Stories," 
and  Mrs.  Stowe's  "  Pearl  of  Orr's  Island,"  will  make  the  trips 
more  enjoyable.  An  excursion  by  rail  through  Westbrook, 
Gorham,  Alfred,  and  Rochester  to  Alton  Bay,  with  sixty  miles 


•^KiXiVi^  trntrntMisar-'f^ 


WHITEHEAD  CUFFS. 


sail  on  Lake  Winnepiseogee,   can  be  made,  and  the  tourist 
return  the  same  evening  to  Portland. 

The  route  to  Brunswick  and  Bath,  by  the  Maine  Central  Rail- 
road, thence  along  the  line  of  the  Knox  and  Lincoln  Railroad  to 
Rockland,  and  the  steamboat  excursions  daily  made  from  Bath 
to  Boothbay,  present  charming  attractions.  From  Owl's  Head 
np  the  Penobscot  to   Bangor,  unfolds  a  panorama  of  beauty 


456 


THE  HiarORT  OF  MAINE. 


which  an  eminent  Harvard  professor  declared  surpassed  the 
storied  Rhine. 

Camden  is  a  popular  resort,  and  the  drives  about  the  lake  and 
mountain  are  justly  admired.  Our  missionaries  from  the  East 
have  remarked  that  the  Syrian  hUls  seemed  pictured  in  the 
western  shores  of  the  Penobscot  at  this  point.  The  view  from 
Mount  Megunticook,  fourteen  hundred  feet  high,  is  pronounced 
Uy  a  well-known  author  one  of  "indescribable  grandeur.'* 
The  appearance  of  Belfast  from  the  river  is  imposing.  Passing 
Searsport,  Stockton,  and  Fort  Pownal,  the  stranger  is  impressed 
with  the  scenery  at  Bucksport  Narrows,  where  the  Penobscot 
makes  a  sharp  bend,  and  the  high,  bold  headland  is  guarded 
by  Fort  Knox.  Its  powerful  batteries  effectually  close  the  river 
to  a  hostile  fleet.  Chains,  too,  have  been  stretched  across  the 
Narrows  in  bygone  days,  as  an  additional  protection.  From 
this  point  to  Bangor  there  are  constant  surprises  at  each  turn  of 
the  winding  stream.  Frankfort  and  Winterport  and  Hampden 
in  turn  appear.  The  latter  is  the  home  of  the  late  Vice-Presi- 
dent Hamlin.  Here  the  frigate  "  John  Adams  "  was  run  ashore 
and  burned  in  1779. 

Bangor  is  a  beautiful  city,  diversified  with  valley  and  hill  and 
river.  It  has  handsome  streets,  with  fine  drives,  particularly  on 
the  Hampden  roed  and  to  Mount  Hope  cemetery.  The  outlook 
from  the  seminary  tower  is  a  commanding  one,  as  is  that  from 
the  opposite  heights  beyond  the  Kenduskeag.  The  tourist  will 
gladly  linger  here  many  days.  A  few  hours'  excursion  brings 
him  to  Castine,  rich  in  historical  interest,  beautiful  in  situation, 
and  peopled  by  families  of  high  culture'.  It  was  settled  two 
and  a  half  centuries  ago ;  and  many  valuable  relics  remain  of  the 
significant  epochs  of  its  religious  and  military  history. 

Sedgwick  and  Deer  Isle  and  Isle  au  Haut  present  charming 
views,  and  are  well  worthy  a  visit  by  those  who  love  fine  scenery, 
or  would  grow  ruddy  on  healthful  fare  and  by  invigorating  air. 
Constant  communication  is  had  by  steamers  with  Portland. 

Mount  Deiert  is  too  well  known  as  a  summer  resort  to  need 
description  'n  detail.  The  Maine  Central  Railroad  now  runs  a 
branch  to  a  point  opposite  the  island ;  but  the  stranger  ought  not 
to  fail  of  going  one  way,  at  least,  by  Portland  steamer.  He  will  find 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAIlfE. 


467 


it  a  pleasant  trip  to  stop  at  South- West  Harbor,  and  cross  the 
island  leisurely  on  foot  or  in  the  saddle  to  Bar  Harbor ;  not 
omitting  the  ascent  of  Green  Mountain,  from  which  Katahdin 
is  seen,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  distant  as  the  bird  flies, 
while  seaward  the  prospect  is  enchanting.  The  writer  has 
feasted  his  eyes  on  some  of  the  fairest  scenes  on  either  side  the 
Atlantic,  but  never  saw  the  equal,  in  all  respects,  to  this 
*'  bright  mosaic  of  island  and  bay,"  as  Clara  Barnes  Martin  has 
felicitously  described  this  landscape. 

In  his  legend  of  "  Mogg  Megone,"  Whittier  tells  of  the  objects 
that  meet  the  gaze  of  the  traveller  looking  from  the  summit  of 
this  mountain. 

"  Beneath  the  westward  turning  eye 

A  thousand  wooded  islands  lie ; 

Their  thousand  tints  of  beauty  glow 

Down  in  the  restless  waves  below. 

There  sleep  Placentia's  group ; 

There  gloomily  against  the  sky 

The  Dark  Isles  rear  their  summits  high  ; 

And  Desert  Rock,  abrupt  and  bare, 

Lifts  its  gray  turret  in  the  air. 

Seen  from  afar,  like  some  stronghold 

Built  by  the  ocean  kings  of  old; 

And  faint  as  smoke  wreath,  white  and  thin, 

Swells,  in  the  north,  vast  Katahdin ; 

And,  wandering  from  its  marshy  feet, 

The  broad  Penobscot  comes  to  meet 

And  mingle  with  its  own  bright  bay." 

This  is  but  one  of  the  attractions  of  this  island.  There  are 
thirteen  mountair  ^  and  thirteen  lakes,  few  of  ^hem  bereft  of 
story,  el'  interesting  alike  to  the  student  of  geology,  the  sports- 
mm,  the  florist,  and  the  artist.  Blue-bells,  morning-gloues, 
^■'!ut9  ard  yellow  water-lilies,  the  twin-flower,  the  mount  a- 
crau'!  jrry,  strawberries,  raspberries,  blueber  ies,  am  .okle- 
berrics,  with  other  fruits  and  flowers  in  thei"  sea'jon,  iibound  to 
an  extent  which  leads  the  delighted  visitor  to  regard  the  name 
af  the  island  a  strange  misnomer.  The  memory  of  a  rr'.-th  at 
Mv  ant  Desert,  at  the  noontide  of  the  y^ai,  is  itself  a  summer  idyl, 
fii'A  will  combine  the  elements  of  choicest  interest  and  most 
enduring  pleasure. 


^^■A. 


458 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  views  in  and  about  Machias,  Eastport,  Q noddy  Head, 
the  dark  palisades  of  Grand  Menan,  and  the  Old  Friar,  a  tall 
columnar  rock  of  striking  profile,  with  distant  views  of  the 
Chamcook  Hills  and  the  valley  of  the  St.  Croix,  seen  from  the 
ramparts  of  Fort  Sullivan,  are  among  the  last  of  the  number- 
less picturesque  attractions  that  clothe  the  seashore  of  Maine. 
As  this  coast  line  measures  three  thousand  miles,  followed 
throughout  its  manifold  irregularities,  it  is  obvious  l  nt  thi» 
brief  monograph  can  record  but  a  small  portion  of  what  could 
be  said  of  this  feature  of  the  attractiveness  of  Maino  as  a 
summer  resort. 

MAINE   LAKES   AND  MOUNTAINS. 

"  Two  voices  are  there :  one  is  of  the  sea, 
One  of  the  mountains ;  each  a  mighty  voice." 

Lake  Sebago  and  the  beauties  that  skirt  our  "American 
Switzerland"  in  that  neighborhood  first  demand  attention. 
During  the  season  of  travel,  one  can  leave  Boston  in  the  morn- 
ing, dine  in  Portland,  and  reach  the  summit  of  Mount  Pleasant 
before  tea,  having  enjoyed  thirty  miles'  sail  in  the  midst  of 
scenes  of  incomparable  beauty.  The  visitot  who  has  made 
Portland  his  summer  home  can  take  the  mountain  and  lake 
excursion  in  a  day,  and  return  at  evening.  The  line  of  the 
Ogdensburg  Railroad  passes  along  the  suburbs  of  Stroudwater^ 
Deering,  and  Westbrook,  near  the  birthplace  of  the  lamented 
Gov.  Andrew  at  Windham,  up  the  beautiful  Presumpscot,  till 
suddenly  Lake  Sebago  bursts  in  view,  —  a  broad,  blue  expanse 
of  water,  fourteen  miles  long,  with  the  Rattlesnake  Range, 
Mount  Pleasant,  and  Mount  Washington,  in  the  dim  distance. 

Two  stanch  steamers  connect  with  the  trains.  An  hour  i& 
consumed  in  passing  over  the  lake.  Indian  Island,  the  "  Notch," 
Frye's  Island,  the  Cave,  — a  favorite  haunt  of  Nathaniel  Ha.v^- 
thorne  in  his  boyhood,  —  and  the  "  Images,"  a  curious  mass  of 
rocks  rising  some  seventy  feet  above  the  lake,  are  a  few  of  the 
noteworthy  objects.  But  the  famous  passage  of  the  Songo  is 
the  great  delight.  Here  you  must  sail  six  miles  and  make 
twenty-seven  turns  to  advance  about  two  miles  in  a  direct  line. 
The  passage  of  the  Lock,  the  novelty  of  the  zigzag  progress  up 


THE  HIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


4A» 


tho  narrow  river,  the  sylvan  beauty  of  the  overshadowing  tree» 
and  swallow-haunted  banks,  all  make  this  part  of  the  trip  a 
vivid  pleasure.  Two  miles  across  the  Bay  of  Naples,  and  yoi> 
reach  Chute's  River,  which  opens  into  Long  Lake.  Nine  miles' 
sail  in  view  of  the  Harrison  Hills,  farms,  and  woodlands,  bring* 


LAKE    SEBAQO. 


th^  tourist  to  Bridgeton  wharf.  A  short  ride  to  the  village,  and 
th'^pce  a  few  miles  farther  to  the  base  of  Mount  Pleasant,  intro- 
dv  jes  him  to  some  of  the  most  attractive  views  of  valley,  lake, 
and  hillside.  The  summit  is  2,018  feet  high,  and  commands  a 
circuit  of  three  hundred  miles.  Fifty  lakes  may  be  seen ;  and 
the  view  of  villages,  rivers,  and  mountains  is  much  preferred  to 


460 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


that  of  Mount  Washington.  A.  new  and  spacious  hotel  affoida 
•every  comfort  to  those  who  tarry  over  night  to  behold  the 
sunset  and  sr  nrise  glories.  Coaches  to  Brownfield  accornmo- 
•date  those  bound  to  North  ConwAv  and  the  West  by  the  new 
railroad  through  the  Notch.  B,.tween  the  mountains  and 
Lake  Sebago  are  many  pleasant  villages,  where,  along  the 
banLs  of  the  winding  Saco,  in  full  view  of  the  White  Hills, 
families  from  the  city  have  made  their  summei  home.    Baldwin 


BONNY   EAGLE    FALLS,  BUXTON',   HOLLIS   AND   STANDISII,  ME. 

And  Cornish  and  Brownfield  are  thriving  towns ;  and  the  easy 
access  to  them  by  the  Portland  and  Ogdensburg  Railro^vd  haa 
now  given  them  a  new  importance. 

The  view  from  Mt.  Cutler  and  other  elevations  in  Hiram, 
the  summer  residence  of  the  writer,  is  admired  by  artists,  em- 
bracing, as  it  does,  the  grand  amphitheatre  of  mountains  from 
Chocorua  to  Mount  Washington,  with  Kearsarge  in  the  fore- 
ground, a  bold  pyramid  3,367  feet  in   height.     The  "Great 


sa 
o 

r 

en 


K 

o 


462 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Falls  "  of  the  Saco,  Ossipee  River,  Lovowell's  Lake  where  Pau- 
gus  fought,  —  the  wily  Pequaket  warrior,  —  and  other  romantic 
localities,  are  in  this  neighborhood.  Fryeburg  is  a  popular  re- 
treat, and  environed  with  hills,  clothed  not  only  with  Nature's 
Tyrian  drapery,  but  with  traditions  of  early  days,  enshrined  in 
ballad  and  in  story.  Here  Daniel  Webster  taught  school,  and 
here  the  well-known  James  R.  Osgood,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  was  born. 

The  opening  of  the  Crawford  Notch  to  railway  travel  is  a 
result  at  which  tourists  by  the  Portland  and  Ogdensburg  Road 
may  congratulate  themselves;  for,  says  Civil-Engineer  B.  H. 
Latrobe,  "  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  no  railway,  on  this  side 
■of  the  Rocky  Mountains  at  least,  can  compare  with  it  in  the 
magnificence  of  its  mountain  scenery." 

The  Valley  of  the  Androscoggin  next  claims  notice.  From 
Brunswick  to  the  mountains,  the  river  is  highly  picturesque ; 
■and  the  towns  that  line  its  curving  banks  on  the  route  of  the 
Maine  Central  Railroad  are  pleasant  haunts  for  summer  days. 
The  ¥&.':  at  Lisbon  are  of  striking  attractiveness.  The  scenery 
■around  Auburn  and  Lewiston  is  romantic  in  the  extreme.  The 
busy  industries  of  these  cities,  their  tasteful  private  and  public 
edifices,  and  the  beauty  of  their  environs,  may  well  beguile  the 
traveller  hastening  northward. 

Mechanic  Falls  and  Paris  are  also  towns  of  growing  impor- 
tance, and  Paris  Hill  has  few  superiors  in  scenic  beauty. 
Thence  along  the  line  of  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway,  Bryant's 
Pond,  Bethel,  and  Gilead  attract  hundreds  by  their  peculiar 
•charms,  which  Harry  Brown,  J.  B.  Hudson,  and  other  Maine 
artists,  have  transferred  to  canvas,  and  authors  like  Starr  King 
to  prose.  Rumford  Falls  are  pronounced  by  a  recent  author 
"  the  grandest  of  any  in  New  England."  Both  the  upper  and 
lower  falls  present  features  of  striking  grandeur.  From  Bethel 
to  Umbagog  Lake  is  a  charming  ride.  One  should  visit  Megal- 
loway  River  beyond  Umbagog,  as  well  as  the  Rangeley  Lakes, 
still  farther  in  the  wilderness  around  old  Saddleback. 

The  township  of  Rangeley  is  named  from  a  former  owner, 
and  is  situated  on  the  north  shore  of  the  Oquossoc  Lake.  It 
was  incorporated  in  1855.  The  primitive  wildness  of  the 
*-egion,  the  trout-streams  and  hunting-grounds,  attracted  the 


464 


TUE  BiBlURT  OF  3JMNE. 


at.tenf  ion  of  Jay  Cooke  and  other  gentlemen  from  Philadelphia 
and  New  York.  In  1869  they  rented  land,  and  built  a  large 
establishment  at  Indian  Rock,  three  miles  from  the  nearest 
settler.  They  have  been  known  as  the  "  Oquossoo  Angling 
Association." 

Rangeley  Lake  is  ten  miles  long,  and  Green  vale  Plantation  is 
a<  its  head,    F.  A.  Morrill  of  New  Sharon  has  published  views 


LOWKIt    FALLS.   UUMFORn.  MK- 

of  this  interesting  district  as  the  eleventh  series  of  his  "His 
toiical  Views  of  Maine." 

The  towns  that  lie  in  the  luxuriant  valley  of  the  Sandy 
River  are  places  of  Arcadian  beauty.  Who  needs  to  be  told  of 
Farinington  and  "  Old  Blue,"  or  of  «  Little  Blue,"  where  the 
Rollo  Books  were  penned,  or  of  the  institutions  of  learning  thao 
have  given  a  literary  celebrity  to  a  town  so  favored  in  natural 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

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466 


TME  history  of  MAINE. 


attractions  ?  Weld,  —  the  early  home  of  the  publishere,  nestling 
among  the  mountains  and  beautified  by  Webb's  Pond,  five 
miles  long,  —  Phillips,  and  Mount  Abraham  are  much  visited  in 
summer  months.  Wilton,  Jay,  Livermore,  Monmouth,  and 
Winthrop  can  boast  of  natural  advantages  as  summer  resorts 
in  the  midst  of  a  lake  district  of  no  common  loveliness.     The 


OASOADB   AT   WEST  WATERVILLE.  ME. 

establishment  of  seminaries,  as  the  Female  College  at  Kent's 
Hill,  and  the  State  schools  at  Hallowell,  have  helped  to  make 
known  the  conspicuous  charms  c"  natural  scenery  enjoyed  by 
the  central  population  of  Maine. 

Z7w  Kennebec  Valley^  from  Merrymeeting  Bay  to  Moosehead 
Lake,  is  a  favorite  route,  and  with  the  excellent  facilities  for 


w 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


407 


travel  is  every  year  becoming  more  popular.    Richmond  h  a 
camp-meeting  resort.    Gardiner,  Hallowell,  and  Augusta,  built 
on  tbe  high  slopes  along  t!.o  river,  present  a  striking  appear- 
ance.    The  public  buildings  at  the  capital,  and  drives  to  Togus, 
the  quarries  and  other  suburbs,  well  repay  the  visitor  for  the 
time  required.     Vassalboro',  Winslow,  and  Norridgewock  add 
historical  interest  to  their  natural  attractions.     Waterville  is 
the  seat  of  a  flourishing  university.    The  cascade  on  the  Ken- 
nebec at  West  Waterville,  where  the  craggy  ledges  of  granite 
intercept  the  rush  of  the  stream,  is  very  striking.    Ascending 
the  river,  the  stranger  is  reminded,  as  on  the  Penobscot,  of  the' 
immense  importance  to  Maine  of  her  lumber  interests.    The 
frequent  ice-houses  also  suggest  the  rise  of  that  branch  of 
industry.    At  Skowhegan  the  river  makes  a  bend  westward ; 
and  the  views  from  this  pleasant  town  are  noteworthy^     Few 
places  in  Maine  have  shown  more  enterprise  than  Dexter,  in 
developing  its  water-powers,  which,  as  elsewhere  in  the  Stato,' 
constitute  the  chief  source  of  wealth. 

Of  Mooaehead  Lake,  with  its  broad,  sparkling  Traters  and 
emerald  isles,  Mt.  Kineo,  Chesuncook,  and  the  numberless  lakes 
that  surround  the  grand,  solitary  Katahdin,  it  is  only  needful 
to  say  that  Lowell's  Moosehead  Journal  in  his  "Fireside 
Travel,"  Flagg's  "Woods  and  By-ways,"  and  particularly 
"  Life  in  the  Open  Air  "  by  Winthrop,  will  full-  delineate  the 
charms  of  these  solitudes,  and  prove  most  convincingly  the 
claim  for  superiority  in  this  regard,  which  the  Pine-tree  State 
has  a  right  to  make. 

Then  there  is  the  vast  Aroos.  jk,  stretching  from  the  Matta- 
wamkeag  to  the  St.  Francis,  one  hundred  fifty  miles,  with  its 
marvellous  but  undeveloped  resources,  its  primitive  forest 
grandeur  and  isolation ;  as  noble  a  domain  as  the  Adirondack 
region,  and  deserving  as  hearty  laudation,  alike  on  the  score  of 
its  picturesque  scenery,  its  balsamic  air,  and  its  abounding 
attractions  for  artist,  or  angler,  or  sportsman  ;  in  short,  for  all 
who,  wearied  by  oare,  study,  or  the  clamorous  demands  of 
fashionable  follies,  seek  a  restful  and  joyful  life  in  the  open  air. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MAINS  IN  THB  WAB  07  THB  BBBBLLION.* 

lOIttary  Condition  of  Maine  —  Proclamation  of  the  President —Prompt  Action 
—The  Greeting  in  New  York— Welcome  In  Washington— Stove-Pipe  Artil- 
lery—Testimony of  Gen.  Sickles  — Gen.  Hiram  G.  Berry  — The  Liquor 
Shops— The  Seventh  Maine  complimented  —  Sufferings  of  Camp-Life  — 
Colored  Regiments- Testimony  of  Gen.  If >glee -— Gen.  Dow  — Toils  of  a 
Campaign  — The  Sharp-shooters— Lieut.  Hill— Batteries  of  Light  Artil- 
lery —  Courage  of  New  Becruits. 

THERE  is  perhaps  no  one  of  the  loyal  States  which  can  claim 
pre-eminence  over  the  others  in  its  conduct  during  the 
civil  war.  All  did  the  best  they  could,  and  all  did  nobly.  Maine 
certainly  was  not  in  the  rear  of  any  of  her  sisters  in  this  respect. 
The  patriotic  spirit  of  her  whole  population  wm  roused  to  the 
utmost  when  the  first  gun  of  foul  rebellion  was  fired  upon  our 
national  flag  at  Fort  Sumter.  Israel  Washburn,  jun.,  was  then 
in  the  gubernatorial  chair;  and  it  could  not  have  been  more 
worthily  filled.  In  many  towns,  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours 
after  the  tidings  of  the  revolt  were  received,  full  companies  of 
volunteers  were  formed,  ready  to  march.  The  firsi.  company 
which  filled  its  ranks,  and  was  accepted  by  the  governor,  was 
the  licwiston  Light  Infantry.  In  Cherryfield,  four  hours  after 
the  enlistment  roll  was  opened,  fifty  volunteers  had  entered 


1 1  write  this  narrative  of  Maine  in  the  Bebellion  with  more  solicitude  than  any 
other  chapter  in  the  book.  Material,  sufficient  to  fill  the  whole  of  such  a  volume 
as  this,  must  be  crowded  into  a  few  pages.  I  can  give  but  the  briefest  abstract  of 
the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Maine  regiments.  There  were  many  chlvalrio  exploits 
which  I  cannot  record.  There  are  many  names,  worthy  of  most  hcnorable  men- 
tion, for  which  I  have  no  space.  My  object,  in  these  few  pages,  is  but  to  give  a 
general  idea  of  the  wonderful  efforts  and  sacrifices  which  Maine  made  to  crush 
the  Bebellion.  For  more  minute  information  upon  this  interesting  theme,  the 
reader  must  ha  referred  to  the  excellent  liistory  of  "  Maine  in  the  War,"  by 
Messrs.  Willlsm  B.  S.  Whitman,  and  Charles  H.  True. 
468 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


469 


their  names.  A  wealthy  gentleman  of  Thomaston,  Mr.  Henry 
B.  Humphrey,  oflfered  to  arm  Rnd  equip  a  company  of  artillery 
at  an  expense  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

A  long  service  of  peace  had  rendered  military  organizations 
unnecessary.  The  industrious  citizens  of  Maine  had  not  been 
called  upon  to  waste  their  precious  days  in  drilling  with  the 
musket,  but  had  consecrated  all  their  energies  to  the  useful 
labors  and  arts  of  life.  With  peace  there  was  abounding  pros- 
peiity.  There  was  an  enrolled  militia  of  about  sixty  th'ousand 
men.  These  were,  however,  unarmed  and  unorganized.  There 
were  bat  about  twelve  hundred  men  in  any  condition  to  respond 
to  a  call  of  military  duty. 

When  the  President  of  the  United  States  issued  his  first  call 
for  seventy-five  thousand  volunteers,  on  the  idth  of  April,  1861, 
Maine  with  grgat  promptness  sent  her  ^irst  and  Second  Regi- 
ments of  infantry,  so  thoroughly  armed  and  equipped  as  to  elicit 
i  ji  Mr.  Cameron,  Secretary  of  War,  the  warmest  commenda- 
tion. Nathaniel  J.  Jackson  was  colonel  of  the  First  Regiment, 
and  Charles  G.  Jameson  of  Bangor  of  the  Second.  When 
these  regiments  reached  New  York,  on  their  way  to  the  front, 
the  Rev.  Roswell  D.  Hitchcock,  a  son  of  Maine,  with  his  char- 
acteristic eloquence  thus  addressed  them  : — 

"  Welcome,  sons  of  Maine  I  welcome,  brothers  I    I  am  one  of  you,  was 

baptized  at  the  same  altar;  am  bone  of  the  same  bone,  flesh  of  the  same 

flesh.    We  were  all  born  beneath  the  same  sky.    I  love  the  State  from  the 

Aroostook  to  the  Atlantic,  and  I  love  her  granite  hills.    But,  my  brethren, 

'  our  first  allegiance  shonld  not  be  to  her:  we  love  our  whole  country. 

"The  American  flag  waves  triumphantly  from  the  Lakes  to  the  Pacific. 
Sae  to  it  that  it  remains  there.  That  flag  we  follow.  It  is  no  ribbon ;  but 
that  banner  God  has  woven  with  thirteen  stripes  and  four  and  thirty  stars. 
It  behooves  jou,  as  soldiere  marching  under  that  flag,  to  watch  and  cherish 
it,  and  allow  no  rebellious  horde  to  efface  one  of  its  bright  orbs,  or  permit 
cne  to  be  ruthlessly  torn  from  its  field." 

The  Second  Regiment  left  Bangor  with  a  beautiful  set  of 
colors,  presented  by  the  ladies.  They  marched  through  Balti- 
more with  loaded  muskets  and  fixed  bayonets.  Not  a  minion 
of  rebellion  ventured  to  open  his  voice,  or  peep.  At  Washing- 
ton it  was  presented  with  a  magnificent  banner,  sent  by  tha 


470 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Maiue  ladies  in  California,  to  be  given  to  the  first  regftnent 
from  their  native  State  which  should  enter  the  capital  for  its 
defence. 

It  would  require  a  volume  to  record  the  achievements  of  this 
regiment.  In  tlie  course  of  two  years,  it  was  in  eleven  hard- 
fought  battles,  besides  numerous  skirmishes.  In  all  it  behaved 
with  gallantry  which  could  not  have  been  surpassed. 

The  Third  Regiment,  under  Oliver  Otis  Howard  of  Leeds, 
was  rendezvoused  on  the  State  House  grounds  at  Augusta.  It 
was  composed  mainly  of  Kennebec  lumbermen,  and  was  exceed- 
ingly fortunate  in  having  for  its  colonel  a  West  Point  graduate ; 
who  rapidly  rose  to  the  rank  of  major-general,  and  who,  for 
his  signal  services,  has  won  a  position  in  the  hearts  of  the 
American  people  second  perhaps  to  that  of  none  other.  It  was 
with  this  regiment  that  the  operations  of  what  were  called  the 
Stove-Pipe  Artillery  commence(^  The  regiment  was  encamped 
in  Virginia,  within  sight  of  the  lines  of  the  enemy.  Some  of 
the  men  went  into  a  meeting-bouse,  took  a  piece  of  stove-pipe, 
which  they  mounted  upon  wheels,  and  ran  it  up  to  the  top  of  a 
hill.  They  were  abundantly  repaid  in  seeing  the  enemy  open 
upon  the  harmless  gun  a  furious  cannonade.  This  regiment 
performed  prodigies  of  valor,  which  we  have  no  space  here  to 
record.  Upon  one  occasion,  when  the  regiment  was  reduced  to 
one  hundred  and  ninety-six  rifles  and  fourteen  officers.  Gen. 
Sickles  said,  "  The  little  Third  Maine  saved  the  army  to-day." 

Upon  the  promotion  of  '^ol.  Howard  to  the  rank  of  brigadier- 
general.  Major  Henry  G .  staples  became  colonel.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Adjutant  Edwin  Burt,  in  the  ever  memorable  seven- 
days'  battle  which  attended  the  movement  from  the  Chicka- 
hominy  to  the  James.  In  this  change  of  front,  Major  F.  W. 
Haskell  of  Waterville  so  greatly  distinguished  himself  as  to 
win  very  high  commendation.  The  vicissitudes  of  war  placed 
Moses  B.  Lakeman  in  command  of  the  regiment.  A  better 
colonel  the  regiment  could  not  have  had. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  was  under  the  command  of  Hiram  G. 
Berry  of  Rockland.  His  name  will  ever  remain  embalmed  in 
the  hearts  of  his  fellow-citizens.  At  Bull  Run  he  displayed 
such  skill  and  valor  as  induced  Gen.  Kearney  to  write  to  Gov. 
Washburn,  — 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


471 


"  Col.  Berry  manifested  such  a  genius  for  war,  and  such  a 
pertinacity  in  the  fight,  as  proved  h.m  fit  for  high  command." 
This  regiment  was  in  all  the  important  battles  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  during  its  term  of  service.  At  Williamsburg  it 
was  said  that  the  regiment  of  Col.  Berry  saved  the  day  ;  at 
Fair  Oaks,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Gaines'  Mills,  Glendale,  and 
Malvern  Hill,  this  regiment  rendered  magnificert  service.  At 
the  terrible  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  Hiram  G.  Berry,  having 
attained  the  rank  of  major-general  of  voluuteere,  laid  down  his 
life.     The  nation  mourned  his  loss. 

The  Fifth  Regiment  was  commanded  by  Mark  H.  Bunnell 
of  Portland.  It  is  painful  to  be  unable  to  do  justice  to  the 
litchievoments  of  these  troops.  The  Fifth  was  engaged  in  eleven 
pitched  battles,  and  eight  skirmishes,  ere  it  entered  upon  the 
terrible  campaign  of  the  Wilderness,  which  was  an  incessant 
battle.  It  captured  six  rebel  flags,  and  more  prisoners  than  it 
ever  had  men  in  its  ranks. 

The  Sixth  Regiment,  commanded  by  Abner  Knowles  of  Ban- 
gor, was  composed  chiefly  of  the  hardy  lumbermen  of  the  Pe- 
nobscot Valley.  Col.  Kno'vles  was  the  right  man  in  the  right 
place.  Passing  through  Philadelphia,  the  regiment  made  a  halt 
near  some  liquor-shops.  The  colonel  requested  the  proprietors 
not  to  sell  to  the  men  of  his  regiment.  The  rumsellers  disre- 
garded his  request.  He  sent  a  file  of  soldiers,  shut  up  the 
shops,  and  placed  the  proprietors  under  guard.  Several  of  the 
dignified  Quakers  of  Philadelphia  were  looking  on :  they  said, 
"  Friend  Knowles,  thy  conduct  meets  our  approval.  We  will 
back  thee  up  if  necessary." 

Col.  Knowles'was  succeeded  by  Col.  Hiram  Burnham.  This 
regiment  was  in  ten  pitched  battles  and  in  very  many  skirmishes. 
It  lost  in  battle,  and  by  sickness,  the  result  of  military  exposure 
and  fatigue,  about  three  hundred  men.  Col.  Burnham,  pro- 
moted to  a  brigadier-generalship,  fell  at  the  head  of  his  brigade, 
at  the  battle  of  Chapin's  Bluff.  The  reader  is  referred  to 
"  Maine  in  the  War  "  for  the  minor  changes  which  took  place  in 
the  command  of  these  regiments.  I  can  only  give  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  general  movements,  and  must  omit  all  the  minor  details. 

The  Seventh  Regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Augusta,  and 


472 


TffE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 


entered  into  active  service  with  Edwin  D.  Mason  as  iU»  colonel. 
At  the  close  of  the  sanguinary  battle  which  placed  Williams- 
burg and  Yorktown  in  our  jiands,  Gen.  McClellan  with  his  staff 
paid  the  Seventh  Maine  a  visit,  and,  with  his  hat  in  his  hand, 
addressed  to  them  the  following  complimentary  words  :  — 

"  Soldiers  of  the  Seventh  Maine,  I  have  come  to  thank  you  for  your 
bravery  and  good  conduct  in  the  action  of  yesterday.  On  this  battle-plain 
you  and  your  comrades  arrested  the  progress  of  the  advancing  enemy,  saved 
the  army  from  a  disgraceful  defeat,  and  turned  the  tide  of  victory  in  our 
favor.  You  have  deserved  well  of  your  country  and  of  your  State;  and  in 
their  gratitude  they  will  not  forget  to  bestow  upon  you  the  thanks  and 
praise  so  justly  your  due.  Continue  to  show  the  conduct  of  yesterday,  and 
the  triumph  of  our  cause  will  be  speedy  and  sure.  In  recognition  of  your 
merit,  you  shall  hereafter  bear  the  inscription  •  Williamsburg '  on  your 
eolors.  Soldiers,  my  words  are  feeble,  but  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  I 
thank  you." 

A  long  series  of  brilliant  achievements  followed,  which  we 
have  not  space  to  record. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Augusta.  Lee 
Strickland  of  Liveimore  was  colonel.  The  physique  of  these 
men  was  said  to  be  remarkably  fine.  Mr.  Strickland,  like  many 
others,  had  made  great  sacrifice  of  prosperous  business  and  a 
happy  home  to  rescue  his  country  from  foulest  rebellion.  The 
first  signal  exploit  of  this  regiment  was  aiding  in  capturing  the 
fort  at  Hilton  Head,  in  South  Carolina.  This  was  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  exploits  of  the  war.  Ill  health  compelled  Col. 
Strickland  to  resign,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  John  D.  Rust. 
The  least  of  the  sufferings  of  war  are  those  which  are  encoun- 
tered on  the  field  of  battle.  It  was  deemed  important  to  plant 
batteries  on  two  muddy  islands  in  the  river,  wliich  were  twice 
each  day  covered  by  the  rising  tide. 

With  great  toil  and  suffering  the  heroic  men  of  the  Eighth 
engaged  in  these  labors.  One  cold  night  in  Februaiy  three 
men  of  the  Eighth,  Samuel  Holt,  Lindsey  O.  Goff,  and  Morris 
Woodbury,  wei'e  posted  on  picket  on  one  of  these  islands.  It 
would  seem  that  there  must  have  been  some  great  indiscretion 
in  the  order.  But,  in  military  affairs,  commands  must  be 
obeyed,  discreet  or  indiscreet.    In  the  chill  night  the  tide  slowly 


Tin:  illSTURr  OF  MAINE. 


478 


rolled  to  their  breasts,  and  as  slowly  ebbed  away.  In  the  morn- 
ing they  returned  to  camp  utterly  exhausted.  Holt  and  Goff 
both  soon  died  from  the  effects  of  the  cruel  exposure.^  Wood- 
bury survived,  but  with  a  ruined  constitution.  The  regiment 
suffered  severely  from  toil,  and  exposure  to  an  unhealthy  clime. 
At  one  time  three  hundred  men  were  in  hospital. 

Until  this  time,  the  government  had  not  seen  fit  to  employ 
colored  men  as  soldier.  So  great  was  the  opposition  to  this 
measure,  that  many  officers  of  white  regiments  refused  to  hold 
any  intercourse  with  officers  who  took  command  in  colored  regi- 
ments. Both  the  officers  and  the  men  of  the  Eighth  Regiment, 
rising  superior  to  this  ridiculous  prejudice,  warmly  advocated 
the  organization  of  colored  troops.  Gen.  Saxton  selected 
from  that  regiment  nearly  half  the  line  officers  for  the  First 
Regiment  of  colored  soldiers.  Grateful  to  the  regiment  for  its 
support  in  the  trying  hours  when  most  of  his  brother  officers 
refused  even  to  recognize  him  in  the  streets,  though  he  was  a 
regular  army  officer,  a  courteous  gentleman,  and  a  devout 
Ohristian,  he  selected  still  a  large  number  from  the  Eighth 
Maine,  for  the  Second  Colored  Regiment.  But  the  tide  had 
now  so  turned  that  more  than  a  thousand  officers  and  men  ap- 
plied for  such  positions.  The  career  of  this  regiment  was  full 
of  remarkable  incident  and  heroic  enterprise ;  for  a  more  detailed 
account  of  which  we  must  refer  our  readers  to  the  excellent 
history  of  "  Maine  in  the  War,"  to  which  we  have  before  re- 
ferred. During  a  period  of  but  six  months,  this  regiment  was 
in  thirteen  general  engagements,  besides  many  skirmishes. 

The  Ninth  Regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Augusta.  Rish- 
worth  Rich  of  Portland  was  colonel.  Their  passage  in  a 
rickety  steamer,  and  encountering  a  terrific  storm,  from  Fortress 
Monroe  to  Port  Royal,  was  more  dreadful,  in  peril  and  in  suf- 
fering, than  can  be  described.  In  this  fearful  gale,  at  midnight, 
the  captain  of  the  ship  informed  Col.  Rich  that  he  did  not  think 
it  possible  that  the  vessel  could  be  kept  afloat  much  longer,  and 
that  they  all  must  go  to  the  bottom  before  morning.  Almost 
miraculously  they  were  saved.     The  regiment  was  vigorously 


»  Maine  in  the  War.    By  WilHam  B.  8.  WWtraan,  and  Charles  B.  Tnie.  P.  199. 


474 


THE  HIBTOar  OF  MAINE. 


employed  in  campaigning  and  successful  fighting,  until  Col. 
Rich,  broken  down  by  toil  and  exposure,  was  compelled  to  re- 
sign his  commission.  He  was  succeeded  by  Sabine  Emory. 
At  Morris  Island,  the  colonel  and  his  regiment  acquired  much 
renown,  performing  feats  of  valor  which  none  but  the  bravest 
men  could  perform.  It  is  admitted  that  the  capture  of  the 
island  was  greatly  owing  to  the  intrepidity  and  wise  tactics  of 
the  Maine  Ninth.  A  number  of  flags  were  taken.  Gen.  Q.  A. 
Gilmore  sent  them  to  Gov.  Abner  Coburn,  with  the  following 
statement:  — 


*•  I  have  the  honor  to  forwanl  the  rebel  flags  captured  by  the  soldiers  of 
the  Ninth  Regiment  of  Maine  Volunteers.  The  names  of  the  captors  are 
Moses  Goodwin  and  David  C.  Iloyt.  The  former  has  since  died  of  his 
wounds.  It  will  be,  I  am  sure,  a  source  of  gratification  and  pride  to  your- 
self and  the  citizens  of  your  State,  to  receive  these  trophies  of  the  gallantry 
of  her  sons,  who  are  struggling  in  this  distant  field  for  the  vindication  of 
ourcauMC." 


m; 


The  Tenth  Regiment  was  organized  with  George  L.  Beal  of 
Norway  colonel.  This  regiment  was  exposed  to  hard  duty, 
which  it  cheerfully  performed,  and  to  heavy  losses,  which  it 
endured  without  a  murmur.  At  times  they  slept  in  the  cold 
and  sleet  and  rain  of  a  November  night,  with  no  covering  but 
that  of  the  dripping  clouds.  One  of  the  companies  marched 
fifty-seven  miles  in  twenty-four  consecutive  hours.  The  regi- 
ment performed  signal  service  in  the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah. 
At  times  the  men  were  under  the  compiand  of  Lieut.-Col. 
James  S.  Fillebrown,  who  very  ably  discharged  his  weighty 
responsibilities.  Col.  Beal  won  the  gratitude  of  every  man  in 
his  regiment  by  his  devotion  to  their  comfort,  in  scenes  of  hun- 
ger and  cold  and  fatigue,  and  when  the  bullets  and  shells  of  the 
rebels  were  thinning  their  ranks.  Both  Col.  Beal  and  Lieut.- 
Col.  Fillebrown  were  presented  by  the  men  of  the  regiment 
with  very  handsome  testimonials  of  their  regard.  Their  ex- 
cellent chaplain  also,  George  Knox  of  Brunswick,  received  a 
superb  gold  watch  and  chain, 

When  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service  it  contained 
four  hundred  and  fifty  men.     In  the  casualties  of  war,  two 


i 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE, 


4 ''ft 


'I  I 


»■. 


***■'  • 


hundred  and  fifty-eight  had  disappeared.  The  State  recognized 
its  services,  and  regarded  its  heroism  as  one  of  the  richest  lega- 
cies of  Maine. 

The  ten  regiments  to  which  we  have  alluded  were  raised 
exclusively  by  the  State.  The  Eleventh  was  at  the  expense  of 
the  general  government.  John  C.  Caldwell  of  East  Machias 
was  colonel.  It  was  a  splendid  regiment,  and  received  in 
"Washington  much  commendation  for  the  excellence  of  its  drill. 
Very  speedily  it  was  led  into  action,  and  that  of  the  hottest 
kind.  The  troops  displayed  the  intrepidity  and  firmness  of 
veterans.  There  is  scarcely  any  thing  in  the  history  of  war 
more  sublime  than  many  of  the  scenes  through  which  this  regi- 
ment passed.  In  the  terrible  series  6f  battles  which  accom- 
panied what  was  called  a  "  Change  of  Base,"  the  Eleventh  waa 
almost  incessantly  engaged.  The  Eleventh  was  a  portion  of 
the  brigade  of  Gen.  Naglee.  In  taking  leave  of  this  brigade^ 
the  general  left  the  following  testimony  to  its  heroism  :  — 

"  Yours  is  the  honor  of  having  been  the  first  to  pass,  and  the  last  to  leave, 
the  Chickahominy.  And,  while  you  led  the  advance  from  this  memorable 
place  near  Richmond,  you  were  the  last  in  the  retreating  coluom,  when, 
after  seven  days'  constant  fighting,  it  reached  a  place  of  security  and  rest 
at  Harrison's  Landing."  / 

The  Twelfth  Regiment  was  raised  by  the  general  government, 
with  George  F.  Shepley  as  colonel.  These  men  were  sent  from 
Boston  by  water,  far  away  to  Ship  Island,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi.  Col.  Shepley  was  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
eloquent  lawyers  in  Maine.  Upon  the  capture  of  New  Orleans^ 
the  troops  ascended  the  river  to  that  city.  Col.  Shepley,  pro- 
moted to  a  brigadier-generalship,  was  placed  in  military  com- 
mand. There  could  not  have  been  a  more  judicious  selection 
for  this  important  post. 

Col.  William  K.  Kimball  of  Paris,  Me.,  took  command  of  the 
regiment.  Aided  by  a  gunboat,  he  soon  captured  two  batteries 
of  six  thirty-two  pounders,  with  a  stand  of  colors,  a  large 
aniount  of  ordnance  stores,  and  eight  thousand  dollars  of  Con- 
federate currency.  The  War  Department  highly  commended 
the  brilliant  achievement,  and  ordered  the  captured  colors  to  re 


471 


THK  HISTORY  OF  MAINS. 


main  with  the  Twelfth,  a8  a  trophy  of  their  viotory.  Alter 
many  wild  and  wondrous  expeditions  in  the  extreme  South,  the 
regiment  returned  to  the  battle-fields  of  Virginia.  There  the 
troops  were  engaged  in  an  almost  incessant  conflict ;  and  nearly 
«very  conflict  was  a  victory.  The  regiment  bears  a  remarkable 
record  for  the  good  conduct  of  the  men.  They  were  ever  obe- 
dient to  their  officers,  eager  for  action,  and  displayed  an  invin- 
cible courage  which  won  for  them  high  commendation  from 
every  general  under  whom  they  served.  Geu.  Shepley  remained 
military  commandant  at  New  Orleans  until  1862,  when  he  was 
invested  with  the  arduous  and  responsible  office  of  military 
governor  of  Louie'  na.  This  post  he  filled  to  the  great  satis- 
faction of  the  national  govern^  ^^nt  until  1864,  when  he  was 
transferred  to  fill  a  similar  post  in  Virginia.* 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  was  raised  at  large,  and  rendez- 
voused in  Augusta.  Neal  Dow  of  Portland  was  colonel. 
Upon  its  organization  it  was  speedily  sent  to  Ship  Island.  The 
iron  ship  *'  Mississippi,"  of  twelve  hundred  tons,  with  its  rich 
freight  of  the  Thirteenth  Maine  and  the  Thirty-first  Massachu- 
setts, almost  miraculously  escaped  foundering  during  a  terrific 
storm  at  sea.  The  Thirteenth  was  stationed  for  some  time  in  the 
•occupancy  of  Ship  Island.  On  i\m  glowing  expanse  of  white 
sand,  beneath  an  almost  tropical  sun,  the  regiment,  passing  in 
mid-winter  from  the  North,  suffered  in  health  very  severely. 
Their  drill  was  excellent.  G«in.  Weitzel  said  that  he  had  never 
seen  better  soldiers. 

They  were  eventually  sent  on  a  cajupaign  into  Tezias,  and 
again  upon  an  eventful  expedition  to  Red  River.  In  both  of 
these  enterprises,  their  deprivations  and  sufferings  were  terrible. 
It  would  require  a  volume  to  give  any  thing  like  an  adequate 
■description  of  these  bold  adventures.  On  one  of  these  expedi- 
tions they  pei-formed  a  march  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
while  continually  exposed  to  attack  from  a  watchful  foe. 

At  length  these  veteran  troops  were  ordered  North,  to  report 
to  Gen.  Grant.  Martinsburg,  the  base  of  supplies  for  Sheridan's 
whole  ar;ay,  was  int  rusted  to  their  care.    The  regiment,  aftei 


i 


1  "  Maine  In  the  "War,"  p.  290. 


I    1 


TSE  HJ8T0HY  OF  MAINE. 


477 


performing  services  of  thto  utmosi  value  for  three  years,  was 
muatered  out  of  service  on  the  Oth  of  January,  1865,  by 
Major  J.  W.  T.  Gardiner,  of  the  United  States  Army.  Col. 
Dow  was  very  highly  commended  lor  the  wisdom  and  energy 
with  which  he  conducted  this  regiment  througli  Its  arduous 
career.  Promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  he  proved 
himself  equal  to  any  responsibilities  which  might  be  laid 
upon  him.  While  sick  in  Louisiana,  he  was  captured  by  the 
rebels.  After  a  long  and  barbarous  imprisonment  he  was  ex- 
changed. 

The  Fourteenth  Regiment  was  collected  at  Augusta.  Frank 
S.  Niokerson  of  Searaport  was  colonel.  The  regiment  was 
a8s..;ned  to  the  third  brigade,  uuv^er  Gen.  Shepley,  and  was 
sent" to  Ship  Island,  and  then  to  New  Orleans.  Their  first 
aeiiois  battle  was  at  Baton  Rouge.  These  sturdy  sons  of 
Maine,  who,  at  the  summons  of  their  country,  had  left  the  con- 
genial employments  of  peaceful  homes,  behaved  like  veterans, 
amid'.t  the  carnage  and  tumult  cf  war.  Gen.  Weitzel  wrote  in 
the  highest  terms  of  commendation  of  the  valor  of  the  Maine 
Fourteenth  in  encountering  "  the  whole  brunt  of  the  attack." 

There  seems  to  have  been  but  little  rest  for  thb  regiment,  by 
day  or  by  night.  Marchings  and  battles  were  incessant.  From 
May  till  August  they  were  without  tents.  However  severe 
the  storm  or  the  shower,  they  had  no  shelter.  Their  only 
camp-equipage  was  their  camp-kettles,  which  they  carried  in 
their  hands.  It  seems  strange  that  men  could  endure  such 
hardships,  and  live.  There  were  no  troops  who  served  more 
efficiently  in  the  capture  of  Port  Hudson  than  the  Maine  Four- 
teenth. 

The  Fitteenth  Regira-jnt  was  raised  principally  in  the  remote 
region  of  Aroostook  County.  John  McClusky  of  Houltcn  was 
colonel.  For  nearly  four  months  the  regiment  was  encamped 
at  Carrolton,  when  Lieut.-Col.  Dyer  was  promoted  to  the  com- 
mand. But  here,  amidst  the  swamps  of  Mississippi,  the  regi- 
ment suffered  severely  from  sickness.  In  September  it  was  re- 
moved to  Pensacola,  where,  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  salubrious 
oUme,  the  sick  rapidly  recovered.  Col.  Dyer  was  soon  placed 
in  command  of  the  post,  and  Benjamin  B.  Murray  became 
colonel. 


#78 


THE  BiaTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Upon  leaving  Maine  the  regiment  numbered  nine  hundred 
«nd  sixty  iren.  In  one  year,  without  being  in  a  single  battle, 
U  lost,  f-om  sickness  and  the  other  casualties  of  a  campaign, 
three  hundred  and  twenty-nine  of  its  number.  Though' these 
troops  were  not  engaged  in  any  pitched  battles,  they  p&ssed 
through  a  strange  series  of  perilous  and  romantic  adventures, 
in  all  which  they  proved  themselves  to  be  good  men  and  true. 

In  September,  1861,  the  secretary  of  war  solicited  from 
the  governor  of  Maine  a  rifle  company  of  sharpshooters. 
Every  man  was  subject  to  a  rigid  examination  as  to  his  physical 
powers  of  endurance ;  and  they  were  requked,  at  the  distance 
of  two  hundred  yards,  to  put  ten  consecutive  shots  within  a 
circle  ten  inches  in  diameter. 

James  D.  Fessenden  of  Portland  was  captain  of  this  com- 
pany. The  men  were  equipped  in  a  superior  manner.  The 
company  was  attached  to  Berdan's  Second  Regiment  of  sharp- 
shooters. It  was  sent,  by  the  way  of  Washington,  first  to 
Camp  William  near  Alexandria,  and  thence  to  Falmouth,  Va. 
Almost  immediately  the  company  entered  upon  a  series  of 
skirmishes,  with  the  foe  ever  retiring  before  them.  None 
but  men  of  iron  nerves  could  hrve  performed  the  toilsome 
marches  and  the  shelterless  bivouacs  through  which  they 
passed.  They  were  often  exposed  to  a  terrific  fire  from  1,0 
enemy's  batteries,  but  ever  stood  their  ground  with  the  firmness 
of  veterans.  At  one  time  this  company  was  p-'ted  against  an 
equal  number  of  rebel  sharpshooters.  The  rebels,  having  lost 
thirty  of  their  number,  fled,  while  the  Maine  riflemen  lost  but 
three. 

In  one  engagement  this  heroic  band  of  men  was  so  utterly 
exhausted  by  marching,  counter-marching,  and  fighting,  with 
short  rations  and  but  little  sleep,  that  but  twelve  could  enter 
into  battle.  In  the  battle  of  Antietam  they  bore  an  honorable 
part.  For  four  hours  they  were  under  fire,  and  lost  six  of  their 
men.  At  Chancellorsville  they  were  for  two  days  constantly 
engaged  with  the  sharpshooters  of  the  foe.  In  the  three-days' 
battle  at  Gettysburg,  they  took  an  active  part,  losing  eleven  in 
wounded  and  prisoners.  And  thus  these  heroic  men,  through 
Bufferings,  toil,  and  deat?<,  counted  not  their  lives  dear  to  them. 


THE  UiarORY  OF  MAINE, 


479 


that  they  might  preserve  the  flag  which  treason  and  rebellion 
would  trample  in  the  dust.  Capt.  Fessenden  rose,  by  rapid 
promotion,  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general. 

The  Firet  Maine  Regiment  of  cavalry  was  raised  at  large. 
It  consisted  of  twelve  companies.  John  Goddard  of  Cape 
Elizabeth  was  its  colonel.  It  is  said  that  there  was  no  cavalry 
regiment  in  the  service  superior  to  this  in  the  character  of  its 
men  and  its  horses.  Samuel  H.  Allen  took  the  command  as 
colonel,  when  the  regiment  was  thoroughly  organized.  ^ime- 
diately  upon  their  arrival  in  Washington  the  various  companies 
were  detached  for  separate  service.  It  is  impossible,  in  the 
brief  space  which  can  be  allotted  to  the  subject  here,  to  narrate 
the  wonderful  and  often  awful  adventures  through  which  these 
companies  hewed  their  way.  One  incident  I  cannot  refrain 
from  recording. 

Lieut.  Hill,  who  was  acting  as  quartermaster  of  the  battal- 
ion, was,  with  his  team,  taken  captive.  Under  a  rebel  guard 
he  was  being  carried  away,  seated  in  a  wagon.  Carefully 
searching,  he  found  a  loaded  revolver.  With  this  he  shot  his 
guard,  recaptured  his  own  team  and  some  others,  and  drove 
back  to  the  Union  lines.' 

The  severity  of  the  service  to  which  the  men  of  this  regi- 
ment were  exposed  may  be  inferi*ed  from  the  fact,  that,  during 
a  period  of  about  six  months,  seven  hundred  of  their  horses 
were  either  lost  in  action  or  worn  out.  The  record  of  the 
gallantry  of  these  men,  and  of  their  suffering  from  cold,  hun- 
ger, fatigue,  wounds,  and  death,  is  melancholy  in  the  extreme. 
And,  the  more  we  admire  their  heroism,  the  more  do  we  deplore 
the  awful  war  which  infamous  rebellion  forced  upon  them,  drag- 
ging them  from  all  the  joys  of  their  happy  homes,  to  woes 
which  no  pen  can  describe,  and  which  no  imagination  can  con- 
ceive. 

In  the  autumn  of  1861,  the  State  of  Maine  raised  six  batter- 
ies of  mounted  light  artillery.  Each  battery  was  an  independ- 
ant  organization.  We  can  but  briefly  refer  to  their  patriotic 
devotion  to  the  salvation  of  their  country  through  fields  of 


*  liaine  in  the  War,  p.  3M. 


480 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


blood.  Of  the  First  Battery,  Edward  W.  Thompson  of  Bruns- 
wick was  captain.  It  was  despatched  at  once  to  Ship  Island, 
and  thence  to  New  Orleans.  With  one  hundred  and  fortj^-nine 
men,  the  battery  was  stationed  about  six  miles  from  the  city. 
It  was  a  very  sickly  region.  In  one  month  seventy  men  either 
died  or  were  disabled.  Having  been  attached  to  Gen.  Weit- 
zel's  corps,  they  were  transported  to  Donaldsonville,  where, 
with  great  gallantry,  they  captured  a  twelve-pounder  from  the 
rebels,  which  the  battery  was  allowed  to  retain.  They  had, 
however,  already  lost  so  many  men  that  a  detachment  of 
infantry  was  assigned  to  them. 

Col.  Thompson's  health  utterly  failed  him.  He  resigned  his 
post,  and  was  succeeded  by  Albert  W.  Bradford  of  Eastport. 
Skirmishes  and  battles,  wounds,  woe,  and  death,  rapidly  fol- 
lowed. At  Port  Hudson  the  battery  was  hotly  engaged.  After 
the  fall  of  Port  Hudson,  the  battery  was  moved  in  transports 
to  Donaldsonville.  Here  again  the  troops  passed  through  an 
awful  scene  of  battle  and  blood.  Almost  every  day  now  had 
its  record  of  fatiguing  marches  and  sanguinary  conflicts.  Re 
turning  to  the  North,  the  men  re-enlisted,  and  fought  in  Virginia 
more  battles  than  can  well  be  counted. 

The  Second  Maine  Mounted  Battery  had  Davis  Tillson  of 
Rockland  for  captain.  He  was  a  West  Point  graduate,  and 
had  been  adjutant-general  of  Maine.  The  troops  repaired  to 
Washington,  and  went  into  camp  on  Capitol  Hill.  Soon,  how- 
ever, the  battery  was  sent  to  Manassas,  and  entered  upon  a 
series  of  constant,  deadly  battles,  with  almost  invariably  victo- 
rious results.  But  in  war  heavy  blows  must  be  received,  as  well 
as  given.  Horses  wertj  shot,  guns  dismounted,  men  wounded 
and  killed ;  but  still  the  bleeding  and  exhausted  battery  held 
on  its  way  until  the  victory  was  won.  Capt.  Tillson  was  soon 
promoted,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  command  by  Capt.  James 
A.  Hall  of  Damariscotta,  who  was  followed  by  Lieut.  Ulmer, 
and  he  was  followed  by  Lieut.  Albert  F.  Thomas. 

The  Third  Mounted  Battery  was  rendezvoused  in  Augusta, 
under  James  G.  Swett  of  Brewer  as  captain.  After  spending 
a  little  time  at  Capitol  Hill,  it  was  embarked  for  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  to  guard  the    rubber  pontoons.     Passing  through 


ii 


tfi  • 


^i 


THE  aisTonr  of  uawe.  «, 

.ffHrt^v  5„  '^''''«"'™.  than  to  reflect  that  the  wonderful 
Stats  in  tJ^TT-""'  P^*  f"'*  "^'»  •"'^'^''  ''y  eve™  %a 
with  EnJ^.  ;'°r,-  ^'^^''f"'  ™  "■»  "^^  ^hich  we^waged 
w.h  England  for  the  establishment  of  our  nationality  =  buut 
fin  tely  more  terrible  was  the  war  in  which  we  engaged  wth 
M   .ebelhon,   hat  the  nationality  which  had  cost  us^so  let 

S  cirT''™'.'?-    ^°'  "  '°"S  ^'-0  the  k.ttery  was  almos 
da  y  contending  with  the  batteries  of  the  enemy.    When  tZ 
battery  was  ^itM^,„  ''»»  *«  '-es  before  Pe  ersburg   the 
cb-ef  of  artillery  commended  in  high  terms  the  military  kli 
pline,    he  neatness,  order,  and  efficiency,  with  CC  alM^ 
duties  had  been  performed.  " 

J!'n:on°:rB^:r  ia!f E7b- ™  """"^'"'^''  ""^  o'^""  ^- 

dmn  r„ii  J       ,^    Kobinson  was  a  graduate  of  Bow- 

fir  t.S^!i  Tt*  ''"'^'''  ^^  V^'-i^Aon.  The  battery  wis 
^tr"  The  hi^""  Wy,  seven  miles  from  Alexandria™' 
J1C\  T  '^  °^  *'"'  '"'"^■■y  ™  essentially  like  that 
of  the  others,    to  theatre  of  action  was  Vir.>inia  •  and  it  had 

Sntr  Tff  'T/""^""''  --"-  and  icad,;  bom' 
bardments.    But  few  of  those  who  originally  enlisted  returned 
to  their  homes  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  the  victories  they  had  Z 
ind^t^JTiir"'  w  ?''-.-f»'a"e  homesand  peaoe'i 
Shin,    1    r  ^     '•  '"^'^  ■""  J"^'  ''"'e'e'l  the  valley  of  the 
Shenandoah  when  they  were  placed  under  the  eross-flrl  of  itl 
rehel  batteries  in  the  battle  of  Cedar  Run.    In  th  rawfiU  scele 
of  thunder  roar  and  shrieking  sheUs,  as  the  ground  wrZthed 

feTd^tr:erM;rrjxV^^^^ 
-."  ^i^r ns  rx-r-Sit^s^; :-— ^^^^ 

oi  X- — o— 


I 


482 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  Fifth  Mouuted  Battery  was  raised  at  large.  George  F. 
Leppien  of  Portland  was  intrusted  with  the  command.  He 
was  admirably  qualified  for  the  responsible  duty ;  for  he  had 
been  educated  in  the  best  German  universities,  had  spent  five 
years  in  a  military  school  in  Prussia,  and  had  already  held  a 
lieutenant's  commission  in  a  Pennsylvania  battery.  These 
men  were  very  promptly  led  forward  to  the  front,  where  the 
battles  were  raging  in  the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah.  At  the 
battle  of  Fredericksburg,  this  battery  was  exposed  to  the 
heaviest  cannonade  of  the  day ;  and  the  men  avou  golden  opin- 
ions for  their  unflinching  courage,  their  accuracy  of  aim,  and 
their  rapidity  of  fire.  At  the  inexplicable  disaster  at  Chancel- 
lorsville,  the  battery  was  exposed  to  a  terribly  destructive  fire 
from  three  rebel  batteries.  There  they  stood  effectively  work- 
ing their  guns,  and  holding  a  large  body  of  infantry  in  check, 
until  Capt.  Leppien  was  struck  down  by  a  mortal  wound ;  both 
of  the  lieutenants,  Greenlief  T.  Stevens  of  Augusta,  and  Adel- 
bert  B.  Twitchell  of  Bethel,  were  severely  wounded ;  six  men 
were  killed  outright,  twenty-two  were  wounded  and  prostrate 
in  their  blood,  forty  horses  were  either  killed  or  disabled,  and 
their  ammunition  was  exhausted.  Then,  by  the  aid  of  infantry 
supports,  the  guns  were  dragged  off.  It  is  hard  to  forgive  those 
rebels,  who,  without  the  slightest  justifiable  cause,  plunged  our 
country  into  so  deadly  a  war,  sending  lamentation  and  mourn- 
ing to  thousands  of  once  happy  homes. 

Again  at  Gettysburg  this  heroic  battery  met  with  appalling 
losses  and  sufferings,  and  performed  deeds  of  daring  which  won 
for  them  great  admiration.  For  the  second  time  the  battery 
was  left  with  but  one  officer  not  wounded.  Capt.  Hunt,  who 
had  succeeded  Capt.  Leppien,  was  severely  wounded  on  the 
first  of  this  three-days'  battle.  And  thus  the  dreadful  days 
came  and  went  with  slaughter,  wounds,  anguish,  death.  We 
hope  there  is  somewhere  reward  for  those  noble  men  who  thus 
suffered  and  died  for  us.  Had  they  failed,  who  can  imagine 
the  disasters  without  end  which  would  have  befallen  our  dis- 
membered land  ? 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

MAINE  IN  THE  WAB  OF  THE  BEBELLION,  C0NTINT7ED. 

Batfl^  of  Cedar  Mountain— Bivouacking  In  the  Bain -Testimony  of  Gen. 
Bumside-Scenes  at  Port  Hudson -Arlington  Heights  —  Campaigning  in 
Vbo  South  — Patriotism  of  the  Twenty-Seventh  Eegiment  —  Toilsome 
March— Battle  at  Marianna  - Eavages  of  Siclaiess— Summary  of  the 
Efforts  of  Maine  — Major-Gen.  O.  O.  Howard  at  Gettysburg -Majoi^Gen. 
Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  at  the  Surrender  of  Lee. 

rpHE  Sixth  Mounted  Battery,  raised  by  Maine,  was  composed 
-L    chiefly  of  young  men  from  the  counties  of  York,  Waldo,  and 
Aroostook.    Freeman  McGilvery  of  Stockton  was  captain.     The 
battery  was  sent  to  the  aid  of  the  array  of  Virginia.     Gen.  Banks, 
with  six  thousand  men,  was  endeavormg  to  arrest  the  march  of 
Stonewall  Jackson,  who  had  thirty  thousand  under  his  command. 
Both  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  Maine  Batteries  were  brought  into 
action  at  Cedar  Mountain.     Here  the  Sixth  first  experienced 
the  terrors  and  toils  of  battle.     For  six  hours  the  deadly  fight- 
ing raged.    Inexperienced  as  they  were  in  the  horrors  of  war, 
they  stood  at  their  posts  so  manfully,  repelling  repeated  charges,' 
that  Gen.  Augur,  to  whose  division  the  battery  was  attached, 
congratulated  Capt.  McGilvery  on   his  gallant  conduct,  and 
said  that  the  battery  was  the  means  of  repelling  the  assaults  on 
the  left  flank,  and  had  thus  saved  the  division  from  destruction. 

A  retreat  to  the  Rappahannock  was  necessary.  The  little 
band,  pressed  by  out-numbering  foes,  marching  and  counter- 
marching, fought  night  and  day,  living  upon  half  rations,  and 
with  scarcely  a  moment  for  rest.  We  cannot  follow  this 
battery  in  its  heroic  career  of  almost  incessant  battles. 

Capt.  McGilvery  received  deserved  promotion ;  and  Edwin 
B.  Dow  of  tortland  was  intrusted  with  the  command.     At 

483 


484 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Gettysburg  the  Sixth  performed  very  efficient  service.  Though 
it  suffered  severely,  it  persistently  held  its  position,  and  was 
highly  complimented  by  Gens.  Tyler  and  Hunt  for  its  gallantry. 
Lieut.  Rogers  succeeded  Capt.  Dow  in  command  of  the  battery. 

We  now  return  to  the  regiments.  Maine  had  already  fur- 
nished the  general  government  with  fifteen  regiments ;  and  it  is 
safe  to  say  that  none  better,  in  the  courage  and  hardihood  of 
the  men  and  their  high-toned  character,  had  entered  the  service. 
In  the  year  1862,  the  State  was  called  upon  for  more  men,  and 
the  Sixteenth  Regiment  of  infantry  was  organized.  Asa 
Wildes  of  Skowhegan  was  colonel. 

Sadly  yet  resolutely  these  young  men  left  well-tilled  farms 
and  comfortable  homes,  their  workshops  and  mills,  and  all  the 
charms  of  peaceful  domestic  life,  for  the  hazards  and  sufferings 
of  war.  They  were  men  of  peace.  Dire  necessity  alone  could 
induce  them  to  exchange  their  homes  for  the  tented  field.  The 
regiment,  like  many  others,  was  mustered  into  the  United 
States  service  by  Major  J.  W.  T.  Gardiner. 

The  troops  were  sent  immediately  to  Washington ;  and, 
crossing  the  Potomac  by  Long  Bridge,  encamped  oh  Arlington 
Heights,  the  former  residence  of  the  very  able  and  very  unhappy 
rebel  general,  Robert  E.  Lea.  Their  tents  were  scarcely  reared 
when  they  were  ordered  to  the  front,  to  meet  the  rebels  who 
had  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  were  threatening  Pennsylvania. 
It  was  September.  The  nights  were  chill,  and  there  were 
frequent  storms.  But  the  regiment  had  moved  so  rapidly  that 
it  was  very  poorly  supplied  with  clothing  or  camp  equipage. 
The  men  encamped  on  the  Potomac,  about  three  miles  west  of 
Sharpsburg.  Their  only  shelter  was  such  as  they  could  con- 
struct from  boughs  of  trees  and  cornstalks.  But  these  would 
neither  exclude  wind  nor  rain.  All  their  baggage  remained  in 
Washington.     Their  rations  were  poor  and  insufficient. 

The  regiment  had  dwindled  to  seven  hundred  men.  They 
had  no  change  of  clothing,  no  medicine.  Terrible  discomfort 
prevailed,  with  filth  and  vermin.  There  must  have  been  great 
incapacity  somewhere  to  have  allowed  such  a  state  of  things  to 
exist.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  were  on  the  srick-list.  Many 
died.  Exposure,  scanty  food,  and  general  wretchedness  were 
more  fatal  than  the  bullets  of  the  foe  could  have  been. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


48» 


Under  such  deplorable  circumstances,  the  Sixteenth  received 
marching  orders.  In  a  pouring  rain  they  broke  camp,  and  after 
a  weary  march  halted  for  the  night  in  the  woods.  It  was  an 
awful  night.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents.  An  almost  wintry  gale 
pierced  their  thin  clothing.  There  was  no  shelter.  Camp-fires 
could  not  be  built.  The  bitter  cold  and  general  wretchedness 
prevented  all  sleep.  The  sufferings  of  that  night  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  endured  them.  In  a  long  and  woful 
march  they  reached  Warrington,  on  the  7th  of  November,  in  a 
heavy  snow-storm. 

At  length  the  knapsacks  and  overcoats  of  the  regiment 
arrived,  and  the  despondency  into  which  the  men  had  been 
plunged  was  in  some  degree  dispelled.  A  terrible  battle  was 
fought  at  Fredericksburg.  These  worn  and  wasted  men  seemed 
as  regardless  of  shells  and  bullets  as  if  they  were  snowflakes. 
They  entered  the  field,  swept  by  the  st6rm  of  war,  about  four 
hundred  and  fifty  in  number.  Two  hundred  and  tweniy-six 
were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Gen.  Biu-nside,  who  was  in 
command  of  the  army,  said,  "  Whatever  honor  we  can  claim  in 
that  contest  was  won  by  the  Maine  men." 

These  hardships  were  terrible.  The  men  had  been  so 
enfeebled  by  sickness  that  nearly  every  wounded  man  died. 
The  regiment  had  dwindled  down  to  forty  men.  A  hundred 
and  sixty  recruits  were  sent  to  add  to  their  numbers.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  end  to  the  sufferings  of  this  regiment.  The 
nights  became  wintry  cold.  There  were  long  marches  through 
mud  and  rain,  and  bivouacking  almost  supperless  upon  the  bleak, 
unsheltered  fields. 

Napoleon  said  that  a  man  who  is  intrusted  with  the  lives  of 
his  fellow-men,  in  a  military  campaign,  should  examine  him- 
self to  see  if  he  is  equal  to  such  immense  responsibilities. 
There  was  no  intentional  neglect  in  this  case,  but  certainly 
there  was  great  incapacity  somewhere.  At  length  these  suffer- 
ing patriots  reached  winter-quarters,  and  enjoyed  a  little  rest. 
But  soon  again  the  turmoil  and  carnage  of  almost  ceaseless 
battle  were  recommenced.  We  can  only  give  the  final  result. 
The  numbers  originally  forming  the  regiment,  and  those  sent  to 
re-enforce  it,  amounted  to  two  thousand  and  niiiety-seve^.     Of 


486 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 


these  the  total  loss  by  the  casualties  of  the  campaigns  numbered 
twelve  hundred  and  ten. 

The  Seventeenth  Regiment  of  Infantry  was  mainly  from  the 
counties  of  York,  Cumberland,  Androscoggin,  and  Oxford. 
Thomas  A.  Roberts  of  Portland  was  colonel.  It  was  speedily 
sent  to  the  battle-fields  of  Virginia.  At  Fredericksburg  and 
ChancfiUorsville  and  Gettysburg,  and  many  other  fields  of 
carnage,  they  fought  with  valor  which  proved  their  readiness  to 
die  for  their  country. 

And  so  it  was  with  the  Eighteenth  Regiment,  under  Col. 
Daniel  Chapin  of  Bangor ;  the  Nineteenth,  under  Col.  Frederick 
D.  Sewall  of  Bath  ;  and  the  Twentieth,  under  Col.  Adelbert 
Ames  of  Rockland.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  of  Bowdoin  Col- 
lege, Brunswick,  was  lieutenant-colonel.  Upon  the  promotion 
of  Col.  Ames,  Col.  Chamberlain  took  the  command.  His 
gallantry  speedily  caused  him  to  be  promoted  by  Grant,  on  the 
field  where  he  was  wounded,  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general. 
Adelbert  Ames  was  also  appointed  brigadier-general,  at  the 
request  of  Gens.  Hooker,  Meade,  and  Howard,  for  great  hero- 
ism displayed  at  Chancellorsville.  To  record  the  achievements 
of  these  regiments  would  be  but  to  repeat  what  has  already 
been  written.  They  passed  through  the  same  scenes  of  weary 
marches,  cold  bivouacs  on  rain-drenched  fields,  and  terrible 
battles. 

The  Twenty-First  Regiment  had  Elijah  D.  Johnson  of  Lewis- 
ton  for  its  colonel.  It  was  sent  far  away  to  the  marshes  and 
the  bayous  of  the  extreme  South,  whera  sickness  was  more  to 
be  feared  than  bullet  or  bayonet.  Though  wasted  by  sickness, 
it  did  good  service  at  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson.  In  one 
assault  it  lost,  in  killed  and  wounded,  sixty  in  less  than  half  an 
hour.  The  survivors  of  the  regiment  were  present  at  the  sur- 
render of  the  fort.  Their  term  of  service  having  expired,  they 
were  transported  home.  The  fame  of  their  heroism  had  gone 
before  them,  and  they  received  a  continuous  ovation  along  the 
route. 

The  Twenty-Second  Regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Bangor. 
Henry  Crosby  of  Hampden  was  colonel.  These  troops  were 
sent,  by  the  way  of  Washington  and  Fortress  Monroe,  to  New 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


487 


Orleans.  Thence  it  ascended  the  river  to  take  part  in  tho 
terrible  struggle  raging  around  Port  Hudson.  And  here  we 
have  but  the  same  story  to  tell  of  toil,  exhaustion,  wounds, 
death,  and  the  final  victory  of  those  who  survived  these  awful 
scenes. 

The  Twenty-Third  Regiment  was  organized  under  Col 
William  Wirt  Virgin  of  Norway.  The  young  men  were 
generally  from  Androscoggin  and  Oxford  Counties.  It  is  said, 
that  morally  and  intellectually  this  regiment  was  cou  posed  of 
perhaps  the  best  set  of  men  who  had  thus  far  left  the  State. 
These  troops  spent  most  of  their  time  in  guarding  Washington. 
Their  labors  were  very  severe,  in  digging  rifle-pits  and  redoubts, 
budding  barricades,  and  in  performing  picket  duty.  Under 
these  toils  and  exposure  about  fifty  died  during  the  ten  months 
the  regiment  was  in  service. 

The  Twenty-Fourth  Regiment  was  organized  at  Augusta. 
George  M.  Atwood  of  Gardiner  was  colonel.  Their  career  was 
mdeed  an  arduous  one.  They  were  sent  to  the  unhealthy 
South,  and  to  the  unintermitted  toils  which  attended  the  siege 
of  Port  Hudson.  Nine  hundred  of  the  stalwart  sons  of  Maine 
left  Augusta.  At  the  end  of  the  year  for  which  they  enlisted 
but  five  hundred  and  seventy  returned ;  and  yet  not  one  was 
killed  in  battle. 

^  The  Twenty-Fifth  Regiment,  like  several  others,  enlisted  for 
nine  months'  service.     Francis   Fessenden    of   Portland   was 
colonel.     The  regiment  numbered  nine  hundred  and  ninety- 
three  men.    It  rendezvoused  at  Portland,  and  first  repaired  to 
Capitol  Hill,  in  Washington.     Here  it  was  assigned  to   the 
third   brigade   of   Casey's   division,  and  Col.  Fessenden  was 
placed  in  command  of  the  brigade.     In  a  furious  storm  the 
troops  were  removed  to  Ariington    Heights.    Here    several 
months  were  spent  in  severe  labor,  guarding  Long  Bridge,  and 
constructing    fascines,  gabions,    magazines,  and    bomb-proofs. 
Though  the  regiment  participated  in  no  engagement,  it  per- 
formed the  arduous  and  responsible  duties  which  were  assigned 
to  it  with  great  fidelity,  and  was  greeted  on  its  return  with 
warm  encomiums. 

The  Twenty-Sixth  Regiment  was  raised  mainly  in  the  couii- 


-;«A^ 


4M 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


ties  of  Knox,  Hancock,  and  Waldo.  Bangor  was  its  place  of 
rendezvous,  and  Nathaniel  H.  Hubbard  of  Winterport  was  iti 
colonel.  These  troops  were  first  sent  to  Arlington  Heighta, 
then  to  Fortress  Monroe,  then  to  Newport  News,  then  in  a 
magnificent  fleet  to  Ship  Island,  then  to  New  Orleans,  then  to 
Baton  Rouge.  Here  commenced  the  dull  routine  of  camp-life. 
After  a  delay  of  two  months  the  Twenty-Sixth,  with  other 
forces,  was  put  in  motion  on  the  march  to  Port  Hudson.  Hav- 
ing accomplished  the  object  of  this  expedition,  they  returned  to 
Baton  Rouge,  and  there  embarked  on  a  river  steamer,  and 
descended  sixty  miles  to  Donaldsonville.  From  this  point  they 
took  up  their  line  of  march  to  Thibodeaux,  thirty-six  miles 
west  of  the  Mississippi.  Thence  the  troops  were  transported 
by  rail  to  Brashear  City.  Upon  this  expedition  the  regiment 
engaged  in  the  battle  of  Irish  Bend.  It  was  a  hard-fought 
conflict,  amidst  scenes  of  sublimity  and  terror  which  deserve 
minute  record.  In  this  deadly  struggle  the  regiment  lost  sixty- 
eight  men  out  of  three  hundred.  From  the  blood-stained  field 
the  troops  ascended  the  Bayou  Teche  to  the  Red  River. 

On  the  26th  of  May  they  returned  to  Brashear  City,  after  a 
bold,  fatiguing,  perilous  campaign  of  forty-three  days,  beneath 
the  blaze  of  an  almost  meridian  sun.  They  proceeded  to  Port 
Hudson,  and  took  gallant  part  in  the  siege  until  the  rebels 
surrendered.  Having  thus  performed  their  engagements,  they 
ascended  the  river  to  Cairo,  and  thence  home.  In  this  gallant 
expedition  of  nine  months  two  hundred  of  the  noble  sons  of 
Maine  were  lost. 

The  Twenty-Seventh  Regiment  was  mainly  from  York 
County,  and  was  rendezvoused  at  Portland.  Rufus  P.  Tapley 
of  Saco  was  colonel.  Its  first  destination  was  Central  Vir- 
ginia. Through  a  severe  winter  the  regiment  remained,  guard- 
ing, much  of  the  time,  a  picket-line  eight  miles  long.  Col. 
Tapley  was  succeeded  by  Lieut.-Col.  Wentworth.  This  was 
the  most  anxious  hour  of  the  war.  The  rebel  Gen.  Lee,  with 
his  immense  forces,  was  moving  up  for  the  invasion  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Incendiaries  were  crowding  our  Northern  cities.  Trai- 
tors in  the  North  were  openly  avowing  sympathy  with  the 
Southern  rebellion.     Want  of  confidence  in  the  commander  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


480 


the  Union  array  rendered  a  change  necessary.  All  the  old 
troops  had  been  sent  forward  to  oppose  the  exultant  foe.  The 
national  heart  was  oppressed  with  anxiety.  Washington  waa 
left  exposed.  The  term  for  which  this  regiment  had  enlisted 
had  expired. 

The  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War  entreated  the 
Twenty-Seventh  to  remain  for  the  protection  of  the  capital.  It 
was  a  remarkable  regiment.  Gentlemen  from  each  of  the 
liberal  professions  were  in  its  ranks,  and  farmers  and  mechanics, 
who  were  making  heavy  pecuniary  sacrifices  by  their  absence 
from  their  homes.  They  remained.  The  battle  of  Gettysburg 
was  fought ;  and  the  dark  cloud  of  peril  passed  away.  Greeted 
with  benedictions  in  Washington,  these  patriotic  troops  were 
received  at  home  with  blessings.  The  regiment  left  Maine 
nine  hundred  and  forty-nine  strong,  and  had  never  less 
than  seven  hundred  and  forty  ready  for  duty.  Medals  were 
awarded  to  tiie  men  by  the  War  Department,  for  serving  beyond 
the  term  for  thfeir  enlistment. 

The  Twenty-Eighth  Regiment  was  under  Ephraim  W.  Wood- 
man of  Wilton,  colonel.  They  proceeded  first  to  New  York, 
and  were  quartered  one  night  in  Plymouth  Church,  Brooklyn, 
where  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  and  prominent  members  of 
his  church  assisted  in  nursing  the  sick.  After  spending  a  short 
time  in  that  vicinity,  the  troops  were  sent  to  New  Orleans  by 
the  way  of  Fortress  Monroe.  It  would  be  difficult  to  describe 
their  vast  variety  of  marchings  and  counter-marchings,  their 
skirmishes,  and  the  innumerable  arduous  toils  which  they 
performed.  Some  of  the  conflicts  in  which  they  engaged  were 
as  desperately  fought  as  any  during  the  war. 

The  Twenty-Ninth  Regiment  was  rendezvoused  at  Augusta. 
George  L.  Beal  of  Norway  was  colonel.  It  was  sent  immedi- 
ately to  New  Orleans.  These  troops,  many  of  whom  had 
previously  enlisted  for  nine  months,  entered  almost  immediately 
upon  a  series  of  bloody  battles.  In  the  sanguinary  conflict  of 
Pleasant  Hill  they  won  a  signal  victory.  Col.  Beal  was  placed 
in  command  of  a  brigade.  On  one  expedition  the  troops 
marched  four  hundred  miles.  They  were  at  one  time  sixty 
hours  without  sleep,  and  with  but  little  food  ;  and  during  that 
timo  they  marched  fifty-six  miles,  anu  iougat  two  uattius. 


490 


THE  iirsTonr  of  mainr. 


Having  performed  wondrous  deeds  of  toil  and  gallantry  in 
the  far  South,  the  regiment  wps  sent  back  to  Virginia,  and  took 
part  in  the  conflicts  which  were  raging  there,  until  the  terra  of 
its  service  had  expired. 

The  Thirtieth  Regiment  of  infantry  had  in  its  ranks  quite  a 
number  of  experienced  soldiers.  Francis  Fessenden  of  Portland 
was  colonel.  It  sailed,  in  the  steamship  "  Merriraac,"  from  Port- 
land for  New  Orleans.  Sickness  pervadud  the  ranks.  They 
marched  one  hundred  \nd  sixty  miles,  over  the  marshy  lands  of 
Louisiana,  to  Natchitoches.  They  eni  tuntered  sleet  and  drench- 
ing rain-storms,  with  rough  and  miry  roads.  Not  a  few  dropped 
by  the  wayside,  utterly  exhausted,  and  were  captured  by  the 
enemy.  Skirmishes  and  battles  ensued,  with  incidents  of  t'  ival- 
ric  courage,  which  we  have  no  space  to  describe. 

Between  the  15th  of  March  and  the  22d  of  May,  this  regi- 
ment marched  five  hundred  miles,  and  engaged  in  four  battles, 
losing  two  hundr-^d  and  twenty-eight  officers  and  men.  From 
New  Orleans  the  troops  returned  to  Virginia,  and  engaged  in 
toils  as  severe  as  flesh  and  blood  could  endure.  During  one 
year  these  hardy  men  marched  over  a  thousand  miles.  The 
true  story  of  what  they  did  and  suffered,  for  the  salvation  of 
their  country,  no  pen  can  describe. 

The  Second  Regiment  of  cavalry  was  composed  of  remarka- 
bly robust  men.  Ephraim  W.  Woodman  of  Portland  was 
colonel.  They  were  sent  to  New  Orleans.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  horses  died  on  the  voyage.  Most  of  the  regiment  was  im- 
mediately ordered  to  the  front  to  take  part  in  the  Red  River 
expedition.  After  a  season  of  active  service  the  regiment  was 
sent  to  Pensacola,  iu  i  lorida. 

At  Marianna  ;'  -  -  j n  own  of  Jackson  County,  there  was  a 
terrible  conflict  in  the  streets.  The  rebels  threw  up  barricades, 
and  opened  a  furious  fire  from  churches,  houses,  and  stores. 
Major  Nathan  Cutler  of  Augusta  had  two  horses  shot  under 
him,  and  fell  with  a  broken  leg,  a  shattered  wrist,  and  other 
severe  wounds.  From  all  these  wounds  he  recovered.  Many 
others  were  killed  or  wounded,  twenty-nine  in  all. 

But  in  this  successful  raid  the  troops  took  one  hundred  pris- 
oners, a  large  amount  of  commissary  and  quartermaster  stores, 


TnE  niaroRY  of  maine. 


491 


two  hundred  and  fifty  horses  and  mnlea,  four  hundred  head  of 
cattle,  and  five  hundred  contrabands.  There  were  several  other 
raids,  one  into  the  State  of  Alabama.  In  one  of  these  a  train 
of  fifty  wagons  was  brought  into  camp,  by  Lieut.-Col.  Spurling 
of  the  Second  Maine,  for  a  distance  of  sixty  miles  through  the 
enemy's  country,  while  attacked  almost,  every  hour,  in  front, 
flanks,  and  rear,  by  a  force  superior  to  his  own. 

The  change  from  the  pure  air  and  healthy  food  of  their  homes 
in  Maine  to  the  malarious  climates  of  Louisiana  and  Florida, 
and  all  the  hardships  and  deprivations  of  camp-life ,  caused  so 
much  sickness,  that  at  one  time,  from  a  regiment  of  nine  hundred 
and  eighty-nine,  only  four  hundred  and  fifty  reported  for  duty. 
The  sad  condition  of  the  regiment  being  made  known,  Maine 
immediately  sent  to  the  suffering  men  a  bountiful  supply  of 
vegetables  and  other  articles  for  their  comfort. 

The  Seventh  Mounted  Battery,  under  Adelbert  B.  Twitchell 
of  Bethel,  as  captain,  was  sent  to  Virginia,  and  in  its  first 
battle,  at  Spottsylvania,  fought  from  morning  till  night.  In 
that  battle  it  obtained  celebrity  which  gave  it  rank  with  the 
most  experienced  batteries  in  the  army.  At  Bethesda  Church 
and  Cold  Harbor,  it  was  again  under  a  severe  fire.  In  front  of 
Petersburg  it  took  part  in  the  fierce  strife  which  raged  there  for 
80  many  months.  Sharpshooters  were  continually  Avatching  for 
every  exposure,  and  sixty-four-pound  mortar  sh'ells  were  fre- 
quently thrown  over  their  ramparts.  The  battery  was  composed 
of  a  superior  class  of  men,  and  was  highly  commended  for  its 
discipline  and  eflBciency, 

An  independent  organization  was  raised,  called  the  First 
District  Columbia  Cavalry.  Maine  contributed  about  eight 
hundred  men  to  this  organization.  Col.  L.  C.  Baker  was  in 
command.  These  troopa  plunged  into  that  series  of  bloody 
battles  in  Virf^inia,  which  attended  the  close  of  the  war.  They 
encountered  victories  and  defeats,  but  rendered  efficient  service, 
and,  when  attacked  by  overwhelming  numbers,  displayed  brave- 
ry which  could  not  have  been  surpassed. 

The  Thirty-First  Regiment  of  infantry  was  rendezvoused  at 
Augusta,  and  was  pushed  forward  rapidly  to  Virginia  to  aid  in 
the  concluding  scenes  of  the  conflict.     George  Varney  of  Ban- 


'i  I 


i 


492 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE, 


gor  was  colonel.  He  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Thomas  Hight  of 
Augusta.  The  regiment  immediately  took  part  in  t1  j  battles 
of  the  Wilderness,  fought  bravely,  and  suffered  severel; .  In  one 
of  their  first  conflicts  they  lost,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing, 
two  hundred  and  ninety-five  men.  Then,  for  six  successive 
days,  they  were  under  fire.  At  Petersburg  they  won  great 
praise.  Sickness,  wounds,  death,  and  capture  at  one  time  so 
reduced  the  regiment  that  but  sixty  reported  for  duty.  Recruits 
were  sent  to  fill  up  their  dwindled  ranks. 

The  Thirty-Second  Regiment  of  infantry  was  rendezvoused  at 
Augusta.  Mark  F.  Wentworth  of  Kittery  was  colonel.  Vir- 
ginia was  the  theatre  of  their  exploits.  At  Spottsylvauia,  they 
were  placed  in  the  most  exposed  part  of  the  line.  For  eight 
successive  days  they  were  under  fire.  The  carnage  encountered 
in  the  conflicts  in  which  these  troops  were  engaged  was  awful. 

Another  military  organization  was  formed  in  Maine,  called 
the  First  Regiment  Veteran  Artillery.  John  Goldthwait  of 
Windsor  was  in  command. 

But  we  must  bring  this  brief  narrative  to  a  close.  It  would 
require  far  more  space  than  we  can  give,  to  do  any  thing  like 
justice  to  the  achievements  of  the  troops  of  Maine  during  the 
war.  The  space  which  can  be  devoted  to  that  subject  here 
enables  us  to  present  but  little  more  than  a  catalogue  of  the 
most  important  organizations.  Many  heroic  deeds  are  left  un- 
recorded. Even  the  names  of  many  men  whose  deeds  merit 
record,  we  cannot  mention.  Wa  can  only  give  an  abstract, 
and  a  very  imperfect  one,  of  the  heroic  efforts  which  the  citi- 
zens of  Maine  made  to  rescue  our  country  from  the  foulest 
rebellion  to  be  found  in  the  annals  of  history. 

During  the  four  years  of  this  dreadful  strife,  Maine  sent 
seventy-two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-five  men  to  the 
battle-field.  She  furnished  thirty-two  infantry  regiments,  three 
regiments  of  cavalry,  one  regiment  of  heavy  artillery,  seven 
batteries  of  mounted  artillery,  seven  companies  of  sharpshoot- 
ers, thirty  companies  of  unassigned  infantry,  seven  companies 
of  coast-guards,  and  six  companies  for  coast  fortifications ;  six 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  also  contributed  to 
the  navy  and  marine  corps.     The  total  number  who  perished 


r,    , 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


493 


• 


during  these  campaigns,  in  the  army  list,  amounted  to  seven 
thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-two.  We  have  no  record 
of  the  killed  and  wounded,  and  of  those  who  died  of  disease,  in 
the  navy  and  marine  corps.  The  whole  amount  of  bounty  paid 
throughout  the  State  was  nine  milhon  six  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  thousand  six  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  and  ninety-three 
cents.  Hospital  stores  were  contributed  to  the  amount  of  seven 
hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
dollars. 

The  above  record  is  a  surprising  one.    No  one  would  have 
deemed  it  possible  that  the  State  of  Maine  could  have  sent  so 
many  troops  to  the  field,  or  that  she  could  contribute  such  vast 
sums  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the  war.     In  the  narrative  of  this 
dreadful  conflict  it  will  be  generally  admitted  that  there  are 
two  of  the  sons  of  Maine  who  merit  especial  mention. 
^  Gettysburg  was  perhaps  the  turning-point  in  the  tide  of  bat- 
tle.    Gen.  Lee,  with  ninety  thousand  men,  was  on  the  rapid 
march  to  overwhelm  the  diminished  army  of  Hooker,  capture 
Washington,  and  enrich  the  Confederacy  by  the  plunder  of  the 
cities  and  granaries  of   Pennsylvania.     He  concentrated  his 
giant  army  at  Gettysburg.     Gen.  O.  O.  Howard,   with    the 
Eleventh  Corps,  was  sent  forward  to  do  every  thing  in  his  power 
to  retard  the  advance  of  the  rebels,  while  divisions  of  the  Union 
army  were  hurrying,  by  forced  marches,  to  the  position  where 
It  was  now  evident  that  a  decisive  battle  was  to  take  place. 

With  eight  thousand  men,  Gen.  Howard  met  the  brunt  of 
battle,  and  drove  back  the  foe.     His  corps  was  posted  on  Ceme- 
tery Hill.    Its  capture  was  certain  victory  to  the  rebels.     Lee, 
the  ablest  general  of  the  rebels,  gathered  up  all  his  strength  for 
that  purpose.    It  was  late  in  the  afternoon ;  the  enormous  masses 
of  Early's  division  advanced  in  majestic  march  to  the  attack. 
There  stood  Gen.  Howard,  with  his  calm,  manly,  honest  face. 
"  An  empty  coat-sleeve  is  pinned  to  his  shoulder,  memento  of  a 
hard-fought  field  before,  and  reminder  of  many  a  battle-scene 
his  splendid  Christian  courage  has  illumined."     After  a  1      ific 
struggle  the  rebels  gained  a  position,  where  they  made  prepara- 
tions for  a  desperate  assault  on  the  morrow,  with  scarcely  a 
doubt  of  their  success. 


II 


494 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE 


At  the  early  dawn,  the  batteries  of  Gen.  Howard  thundered 
torth  their  challenge  for  a  renewal  of  the  fight.  Soon  the  battle 
was  resumed,  with  all  its  indescribable  tumult  and  dreadful 
fury.  Gen.  Howard,  who  was  guiding  this  tempest  of  war 
was  calmly  leaning  against  a  gravestone.  His  aids  were' 
gathered  around  him,  watching  the  sublime  sweep  of  the  war- 
cloud  before  them. 

"  I  have  seen  many  men  in  action,"  an  eye-witness  writes, 
but  never  one  so  imperturbably  cool  as  this  general  of  the 
Eleventh  Corps.  I  watched  him  closely  as  a  Minie  whizzed 
overhead.  I  dodged,  of  course  :  I  never  expect  to  get  over  that 
habit ;  but  I  am  confident  that  he  did  not  move  a  muscle,  by 
the  fraction  of  a  hair's-breadth." 

At  length  the  whole  field  of  battle  was  buried  in  a  cloud  of 
smoke.  Gen.  Howard,  turning  to  one  of  his  aids,  said  in 
calm  tones,  "  Ride  over  to  Gen.  Meade,  and  tell  him  that  the 
faghting  on  the  right  seems  more  terrific  than  ever,  and  appears 
to  be  swinging  around  towards  the  centre  ;  and  ask  him  if  he 
has  any  orders." 

The  aid  soon  came  galloping  back,  with  the  reply,  "The 
troops  are  to  stand  to  arms,  sir,  and  watch  the  front." 

Firmly  they  stood,  pouring  in  a  steady  storm  upon  their  foes, 
while  the  thunders  of  one  of  the  most  terrible  battles  ever 
waged  on  earth  deafened  the  ear,  and  the  ground  was  strewed 
with  the  wounded  and  the  dead.     I  am  not,  however,  describ- 
mg  the  battle,  but  simply  an  important  incident  in  the  battle 
On  they  came,  yelling  like  demons,  six  brigades  in  number. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  pieces  of  rebel  artillery  were  concentrat- 
mg  their  fire  upon  our  centre  and  left.     It  is  said  that  Gen. 
Howard  ordered  one  after  another  of  his  guns  to  bo  quiet,  as  if 
silenced  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy.     The  rebel  lines  came  rush- 
mg  on,  four  miles  long.     From  that  whole  length  there  was  an 
incessant  blaze  of  fire,  emitting  a  storm  of  bullets,  balls,  and 
shells,  which  it  would  seem  that  no  mortal  energies  could  en- 
dure. 

When  the  foe  was  within  point-blank  range,  so  that  every 
bullet  of  grape  or  canister  would  accomplish  its  mission,  the 
cannoneers  sprang  to  their  guns.     Sheets  of  flame  and  smoke, 


fiv 


ir 


THE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE.  495 

and  (feath-dealing  iron  and  lead,  smote  them  in  the  face ;  and 

lines  before  Cemetery  Hill  had  vanished.  The  ground  vva^ 
covered  with  mutilated  bodies,  some  still  in  death!  and  many 
wntbng  m  agony.  A  few  stragglers  were  seen  here  and  there^ 
on  the  rapid  retreat.  ' 

The  gloom  of  night  was  soon  spread  over  this  awful  spectacle. 
In  the  morning,  Lee  commenced  his  retreat.  He  had  lost  in 
kiUed,  five  thousand  five  hundred;  in  wounded,  twenty-one 
thousand  ;  in  stragglers  and  deserters,  four  thousand  ;  and  nine 
thousand  prisoners.  Humiliated  and  bleeding,  the  fragments 
of  his  army  hastened  back  to  Virginia,  having  lost  fort^  thou- 
htl^r.;  ^'^'''y'^^^S,the  death-blow  was  given  to  the 
whioh  t  *'^«.,f  b^l  1°"-  Maine  may  well  feel  proud  of  the  part 
which  her  I  lustrious  son  Gen.  O.  0.  Howard  took  in  That 
decisive  battle  Even  the  catalogue  of  the  skirmishes  and  bat- 
ties  in  which  Gen.  0.  O.  Howard  took  an  heroic  part  would  be 
a  long  one. 

Major-Gen    Joshua  L.  Chamberlain  entered  the  army  from 

his  professorship  in  Bowdoin  College,  as  lieutenant-colonel  of 

he  Mame  Twentieth  Regiment  of  infu.try.     It  was  his  priv- 

Uege  to  receive  the  surrender  of  Lee's  army.     The  scene  of  the 

surrender  was  sublim..     The  whole  rebel  amy  was  flyin.  in 

TZ  wf  T  ^"t"°"^  "^^  Petersburg,  over  the  hills  ^ 
through  the  vales.  The  Union  army,  more  than  double  its 
number  was  pui-suing  it  on  the  north,  the  east,  and  the  south. 

Ihe  flight  of  the  enemy  was  truly  a  rout.  The  path  of  the 
flying  foe  was  strewed  with  abandoned  artillery,  muskets 
wagons,  and  all  the  ddbris  of  a  defeated  army.  Soon  the  rebels 
were  overtaken  upon  a  plain  surrounded  by  hills.  The  Union 
army  came  pressing  on,  like  a  resistless  flood,  and  its  batteries 
were  planted  upon  the  crests  which  encircled  the  plain  There 
was  no  escape  for  the  rebels.  They  must  either  surrender  or 
be  annihdated.  Lee  surrendered  just  as  the  Union  soldiers 
were  ready  to  open  their  deadly  fire.  Our  troops  received  the 
first  tidings  from  the  shoute  which  burst  from  the  lips  of  their 
rebel  foes.    These  haggard  men,  weaiy  of  the  war  into  which 


III 


of 

ti 

8 


o 


o 


n 

<! 

CO 


ai 
o 

s 

a 

0 


< 
o 

< 
•A 

a 


THE  HIBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


497 


i 


they  had  been  dragged,  as  they  heard  the  news  that  the  war 
was  closed  were  almost  frantic  with  joy.  Cheer  after  cheer 
rose  from  the  vanquished,  which  was  echoed  back  in  shout  after 
shout  from  the  v.ctors  who  surrounded  them.    Both  voices, 

would  tJnf       TV"'  '^'",'^'  '"  *^^  J°y^"^  ->'  -1-h  on 

The  soldiers  on  both  sides  seemed  to  have  lost  all  memory  of 
past  animosities  With  the  Union  troops  there  were  tears'and 
piayers  and  cordial  embracings.  The  long  agonies  of  the  sar^^ 
gumary  conflict  were  forgotten.  The  troops,°who,  in  long  line" 
in  the  rear,  were  hurrying  forward  to  the  supposed  scene  of 
battle,  heard  the  shout,  and  knew  not  what  it  meant.  But  it 
increased  in  volume,  and  came  rolling  down  the  ranks,  nearer 

?ortr.  l'.?  *^7^^"P^^^^-  For  miles  the  mountains  and  the 
forests  and  the  valleys  rang  with  the  exultant  cheers  of  those 
who  had  trampled  the  rebellion  beneath  their  feet 

Major-Gen.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain,  one  of  the  heroes  of 
(xettysburg  and  Petersburg,  and  many  another  bloody  fight 
chanced  to  be  with  his  division  .in  the  van.  He  drew  up  his 
troops  in  a  straight  line,  a  mile  in  length.  An  equal  division 
of  the  rebel  army  was  marched  to  a  parallel  line  in  front,  at  the 
distance  of  but  a  few  feet.  All  were  silent.  Not  a  bugle 
sounded  ;  not  a  drum  was  beat ;  not  a  voice  was  heard. 

As  the  vanquished  foe  came  up,  Gen.  Chamberlain  ordered 
his  men  to  present  arms.  Tliis  honor,  paid  to  the  heroic  vie 
tims  of  a  cruel  rebellion  in  their  hour  of  humiliation,  brought 
tears  to^  the  eyes  of  many  rebel  oflScers.  One  said,  "  This  is 
magnanimity  which  we  had  not  expected."  The  defeated 
troops  returned  the  courteous  salute  before  they  laid  down  their 
arms.  As  this  division  filed  away,  another  came,  and  another, 
until  twenty-two  thousand  left  behind  them  their  arms  and 
their  banners. 

I^ee's  army  had  been  more  than  three  times  that  number. 
But  thousands  had  been  captured;  large  numbers  had  been 
kUled  and  wounded ;  and  other  thousands  had  thrown  down 
their  arms,  and  dispersed  in  all  directions,  to  return  to  their 
distant  and  utterly  impoverished  homes.     The  rebel  troons 


<KS 


11 


498 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


were  starving.  In  their  disastrous  flight  they  had  been  com- 
pelled to  abandon  their  provisions.  The  Union  troops,  in  their 
eager  pursuit,  had  taken  but  a  scanty  supply ;  but  they  divided 
their  rations  with  their  conquered  foe. 

No  pen  can  describe  the  joy  with  which  the  tidings  of  Lee's 
surrender  was  received  throughout  our  war-weary  and  exhausted 
land.  The  Union  was  preserved.  Our  nationality  was  estab- 
lished. The  star-spangled  banner  was  again  to  float  in  undis- 
puted supremacy  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  he  Gulf.  The 
crushing-out  of  the  rebellion  established  freedom  throughout 
our  whole  land.  It  was  clear  to  every  mind,  that  our  country 
was  entering  upon  a  new  era  of  prosperity,  wealtli,  and  power. 
The  State  of  Maine  contributed  her  full  proportion  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  glorious  result. 

And  the  country  has  not  been  ungrateful  to  her  heroic  sons, 
who  have  accomplished  such  glorious  results.  Many  monu- 
ments have  been  reared  to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of 
those  who  have  sacrificed  their  lives.  At  Togus,  a  few  miles 
east  from  Augusta,  a  large  and  commodious  retreat  has  been 
reared  by  the  government  as  a  home  for  the  disabled  soldiers. 
Here,  honored  by  all  who  visit  them,  these  sons  of  Maine  and 
of  other  States,  rendered  helpless  by  the  exhaustion  of  war,  or 
mutilated  by  the  terrible  enginery  of  battle,  are  provided  with 
every  thing  the  nation  can  give  to  minister  to  their  comfort. 
From  thousands  of  Christian  churches  and  firesides  the  prayer 
fervently  ascends,  that  God  will  bless  them,  for  all  that  they 
have  done  and  suffered,  that  our  land  n\ight  be  rescued  from 
anarchy  and  ruin. 


I  I 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

AGBIOULTURB  AND  MANUFA0TUBB3. 

Maine,  it?  Location  and  Size  —  Mountains  —  Katahdin  —  Temperature — 
Agricultural  Products  —  Various  Industries  — Ship-Building— Railroads  — 
Slate  Quarries  —  Little  Blue  Quarry  —  Water-Power  —  Annual  Rain-Fall  — 
Manufacturing  Facilities  —  The  Saco  Basin  — The  Androscoggin— The 
Kennebec— The  Penobscot  Valley  — The  St.  Croix  — The  St.  John  — The 
Salubrious  Climate  —  Prospects  of  Emigration. 

rp HE  State  of  Maine  lies  between  42"  57'  and  47''  30'  north 
-L  latitude,  and  5"  45'  and  10"  10'  east  longitude  from 
Washington.  It  is  the  most  easterly  State  of  the  Union, 
embracing  an  area  of  thirty-two  thousand  square  miles,  which 
is  equal  to  twenty  million  acres.  It  is  larger  than  all  the  other 
New  England  States  united.  The  greatest  length  of  the  State, 
in  a  diagonal  line  from  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua  River  to 
the  extreme  northern  angle,  is  three  hundred  and  twenty  miles. 
Its  greatest  width,  from  the  sea  near  Passamaquoddy  Bay  west 
to  the  Canada  line,  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles.  A  straight 
line  running  from  the  mouth  of  the  Piscataqua  River  to 
Quoddy  Head,  the  extreme  north-eastern  cape,  would  be  two 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  length.* 

The  surface  of  the  State  is  diversified  with  high  mountains, 
broad  intervals,  and  undulating  plains.  Much  of  the  north- 
westeia  region  strongly  resembles  Scotland  in  the  grandeur  of 
its  eminences  and  the  beauty  of  its  crystal  lakes.  In  Franklin 
County  Mount  Abraham  rears  its  majestic  brow  three  thousand 
four  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Mount  Blue,  in  the 
same  county,  is  a  celebrated  place  of  resort.  Its  summit  reaches 
the  height  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet,  and  opens  to 


1  Annual  Beglster  of  Mtiine  for  18?4r^,  p.  102. 


498 


600 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  eye  a  view  of  sublimity  and  beauty  which  richly  rewards  the 
tourist  who  ascends  its  cliffs.  The  Sandy  River  winds  along 
its  base,  whose  banks  are  adorned  with  thriving  New  England 
villages.  Webb's  Pond  and  other  beautiful  lakelets  gleam  like 
burnished  silver  through  the  surrounding  forests;  and  the 
brows  of  majestic  mountains  rise  around  till  their  cliffs  fade 
away  in  the  distant  horizon.  Bordering  the  Canada  line  there 
is  a  range,  called  the  Highlands,  two  thousand  feet  in  height. 

Near  the  coast  there  are  some  lofty  eminences  which  arrest 
the  eye  of  the  voyager  far  out  at  sea.  Here  some  internal 
convulsions  of  nature  have  thrown  up  thirteen  huge  granite 
mountains.  They  can  be  seen  at  a  distance  of  sixty  leagues, 
and  are  the  first  landmark  caught  sight  of  by  the  mariner 
approaching  our  coast.  The  highest  peak  reaches  an  eleva- 
tion of  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet.*  Upon 
tbc  summit  of  one  of  these  mountains  there  is  a  lake,  clear  as 
crystal,  many  acres  in  extent,  without  any  visible  outlet  or 
inlet.  The  Camden  Hills,  on  the  Penobscot,  reach  an  elevation 
of  fifteen  hundred  feet. 

Mount  Katahdin  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  elevations  m 
the  State.  It  is  situated  about  seventy  miles  north-west  of  the 
head-tide  of  Penobscot  River.  The  mountain  is  about  twelve 
miles  in  circumference  at  its  base.  Its  diflficult  ascent  was  first 
accomplished  in  the  year  1804,  by  a  party  of  seven  gentlemen 
from  Bangor  and  Orono.  They  judged  its  summit  to  be  i^j. 
thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Under  the  fourth 
article  of  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  surveyoa^  were  appointed  to 
ascertain  its  altitude  ;  and  they  pronounced  it  to  be  four  thou- 
Band  six  hundred  and  eighty-four  feet  above  a  small  river  at  its 
foot,  called  Abalajacko-megus,  which  river  was,  at  that  point, 
eleven  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  tide-waters  of  the 
Penobscot. 

This  measurement  was  not  deemed  satisfactory,  as  their 
instruments  were  out  of  order.  Subsequent  surveys  have  gi"en 
its  altitude  at  about  five  thousand  five  hundred   feet.     Its 

1  Williamson  gives  the  attitude  of  the  highest  peak  at  two  thousand  thret 
hundred  feet ;  Dr.  Jackson,  In  his  Geological  Survey,  at  one  thousaml  nine  hun- 
dred feet ;  O.  O.  Boutelle,  In  the  United  States  Coast  Survey,  at  one  thousand 
five  hundred  and  fifty-six  feet. 


THE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


501 


ascent  is  difficult.  Its  sides  are  covered  with  a  dense  forest, 
until  within  about  a  mile  of  the  top,  where  all  vegetation 
ceases.  The  summit  is  a  plain,  about  half  a  mile  long,  but 
much  more  narrow,  covered  with  a  surface  of  dry  white  moss. 
The  view  opened  from  this  point  is  sublime.  The  small  irregu- 
larities below  seem  to  be  levelled  to  a  perfect  plain.  Sixty  lakes 
of  varied  dimensions  and  very  picturesque  forms  can  be  counted. 
On  the  north-east  the  view  is  uninterrupted,  till  lost  in  the 
deep  blue  of  the  horizon.  Towards  the  south  the  spectator 
can  see  the  heights  of  Mount  Desert,  at  the  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles. 

Among  these  mountains,  lakes,  and  rivers  there  is  spread  out 
a  region  of  rich  and  extensive  valleys,  which  will  eventually 
afford  homes  to  a  vast  population.  It  is  true  that  the  winters 
are  long  and  cold ;  but  the  summers  are  delightful.  There  is, 
probably,  not  a  more  healthy  climate  in  the  world.  And  the' 
clear  winters,  with  tlie  pure  atmosphere,  are  seasons  of  great 
enjoyment.  No  one,  who  has  spent  a  winter  in  South  Carolina 
and  in  Maine,  will  deny  that  there  is  more  suffering  in  the 
former  place  from  the  cold  than  in  the  latter.  And  in  South 
Carolina  there  is  no  escape  from  the  sultry,  burning,  debilitating 
heat  of  the  summer  nights. 

The  annual  average  of  temperature  in  the  State,  as  ascer- 
tained by  tables  kept  at  the  observatory  on  Munjoy's  Hill,  in 
Portland,  for  the  thirty-two  years  between  1825  and  1857,  was 
43"  23'  Fahrenheit.  The  highest  point  to  which  the  mercury 
ascended  during  that  time  was  100°  5'.  The  lowest  point  was 
on  the  24th  of  January,  1857,  when  the  mercury  descended  to 
25"  below  zero.  At  Portland  the  proximity  of  the  ocean 
diminishes  both  the  summer's  heat  and  the  winter's  cold.  Far 
back  in  the  northern  counties  the  mercury  occasionally  falls 
several  degrees  lower. 

At  Brunswick,  according  to  the  meteorological  record  kept 
by  Prof.  Cleaveland,  the  annual  mean  temperature  for  the  same 
fifty  years  was  44°  40'  Fahrenheit.  The  highest  temperature 
was  102° ;  the  lowest,  30°  below  zero. 

The  average  number  of  rainy  days  in  Maine  is  sixty-four 
during  the  year.     The  smallest  number,  in  any  year,  was  thirty- 


602 


THE  n  I  STORY  OF  MAINE. 


nine ;  the  largest,  ninety-five.  Tiie  average  number  of  snowy 
days  was  thirty.  The  lowest  was  nineteen ;  the  highest,  fifty. 
July  is  the  only  month  during  the  year  in  which  frost  in  that 
region  has  never  occurred.  The  amount  of  water  which  fell, 
consisting  of  rain,  and  snow  reduced  to  water,  was,  in  the  year 
1857,  forty-seven  inches  and  sixty-six  hundredths.  In  1858  it 
was  forty-three  inches  and  forty-two  one-hundredths.  In  1859 
it  was  forty-eight  inches  and  fifty-five  one-hundredths. 

In.  the  year  1874  there  were  published  in  the  State,  seventy- 
two  newspapers,  most  of  them  weekly,  a  few  daily.  There 
were  also  eixty-two  banks  and  fifty-six  savings  banks.  There 
is  an  increasing  appreciation  of  the  adaptation  of  the  State  to 
secure  all  the  blessings  of  healthful  and  happy  homes  which 
this  earth  can  give.  The  God  of  nature  seems  to  deal  in 
oompensations.  If  Maine  needs  some  of  the  advantages  which 
other  States  enjoy,  she  receives  in  return  blessings  which  make 
up  for  the  loss.     There  are  many  who  can  say,  — 

"  I  love  my  own  State's  pine-clad  hills, 
Her  thousand  bright  and  gushing  rilla, 

Her  sunshine  and  her  storms  ; 
Her  rough  and  rugged  rocks  that  rear 
Their  hoary  heads  high  in  the  air, 
In  wild,  fantastic  forms." 

The  beautiful  granite  of  Maine  is  every  year  growing  more 
in  demand  for  building  purposes,  ^nd  will  eventually  become  an 
important  item  of  export.  The  granite-quarry  at  Hallowell  fur- 
nishes as  admirable  building  stone  as  is  found  in  the  world.  It 
is  of  great  solidity,  and,  when  dressed,  presents  a  surface  quite 
like  marble  in  appearance.  In  the  year  1874  three  hundred 
thousand  tons  of  ice  were  shipped  from  Maine.  Ice  that  is 
formed  where  the  mercury  is  twenty  degrees  below  zero  is  much 
more  solid,  and  withstands  the  summer  heat  more  firmly,  than 
that  which  is  formed  where  the  mercury  is  ten  above  cipher. 
The  ice-crop  promises  to  be  a  fruitful  source  of  income.^ 

There  is  a  general  impression  that  Maine  is  not  a  good  agri- 
cultural State.  But  statistics  prove  conclusively  that  in  those 
sections  of  the  State  where  manufacturing  and  industrial  opera- 

1  Address  of  Gov.  Nelson  Dingley,  1874,  p.  41. 


tv 


TBE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


503 


tion8  have  been  well  developed,  thus  opening  a  market,  the  farm- 
era  are  as  prosperous  as  in  those  States  where  crops  are  more 
easily  reared,  but  must  be  sent  to  a  great  distance  t  find  a  pur- 
chaj^er.  The  hay-crop  of  Maine  in  1873  amounted  to  two 
million  tons,  whose  market  value  was  estimated  at  twenty-five 
million  dollars.  This  greatly  exceeded  the  value  of  the  wheat- 
crop  m  any  of  the  Western  States  of  equal  population.  The 
products  of  the  dairy,  which  ever  command  a  ready  sale,  were 
over  two  million  dollars.  The  aggregate  productions  of  the 
farms,  inc  udmg  live  stock,  reached  the  large  sum  of  fifty-seven 
million  dollars.  ^ 

It  is  a  very  gratifying  fact,  that  emigration  from  the  State  is 
dimmishmg,  and  that  there  are  indications  that  the  tide  is  again 
turmng  towards  those  fertile  fields  where  fever  and  ague  are  un- 
known,  where  timber  is  abundant,  where  pure,  cool,  crystal  water 
gushes  from  the  hillsides,  where  the  air  is  invigorating,  and 
glowmg  health  abounds.  Not  one-half  of  the  State  has  yet  been 
reached  by  the  tiller  of  the  soil.  There  are  still  three  million 
ummproved  acres  in  the  region  of  the  Aroostook.  The  territorv 
there,  inviting  the  settler,  is  equal  to  the  whole  of  Massachu- 
setts.  The  soil  is  deep  and  rich,  and  there  a  population  of  a 
million  people  might  fiud  homes  of  competence. 

Manufacturing,  commercial,  mechanical,  and   mining   enter- 
pnses  are  very  rapidly  being  developed.     In  the  year  1873  the 
cotton-manufactures  of  the  State  amounted  to  twelve  and  a 
half  million  dollars ;  wool  manufactures,  to  seven  million  j  boots 
and   shoes,   nine   million ;  leather,  four  million ;   paper,  three 
milhon  ;  flour  and  grist-mill  products,  two  and  a  quarter  mil- 
lion  ;  iron,  cast  and  forged,  two  million  and  a  half;  machinery 
two  million  and  a  half;  edged  tools,  three-quarters  of  a  million  • 
oil-cloths,  a  million  and  a  half;  bricks,  half  a  milUon ;  fertili- 
zers, about  eighty  thousand  dollars;  fish  and  kerasenc  oils,  half 
a  million  ;  fisheries,  three-quarters  of  a  million. 

The  ice  cut  from  our.  rivers  amounted  in  value  to  over  half 
a  million  dollars ;  the  granite,  cut  from  supplies  which  can 
never  fail,  brought  four  and  a  half  million  dollars;  the  R-ne 
amounted  to  nearly  two  million  dollars;  and  the  majtotio 
forests,  still jjovering  millions  of  acres,  brought  to  those  engaged 
vs.  that  one  brauch  of  industry  nearly  ten  million  dollars. 


I 


104 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Ship-building  ever  has  been,  and  for  a  long  time  will  proba 
bly  continue  to  be,  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  indus 
try  in  the  State.  Notwithstanding  it  was  a  season  of  great  com- 
mercial depression  in  the  year  1873,  there  were  two  hundred 
and  seventy-six  vessels  built  in  Maine,  with  a  tonnage  of  eighty- 
nine  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventeen  tons.  The  esti* 
mated  value  of  these  vessels  was  five  and  a  half  million  doUirs. 
It  will  appear  from  the  above,  that,  from  what  may  be  consid- 
ered the  agricultural  products  of  Maine,  the  sum  of  the  labors 
of  the  year  1873  was  nearly  fifty-seven  million  dollars.  From 
manufacturing  and  other  industrial  products,  the  sum  reached 
ninety-six  million  dollars ;  making  a  total  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty-three  million  dollars.  Surely  the  sons  of  such  a  State 
need  not  emigrate  far  away  from  friends  and  home,  to  other 
regions,  to  find  remunerative  fields  of  labor. 

In  the  year  1850  there  were  two  hundred  and  forty-five  miles 
of  railroad  in  the  State.  In  1874  these  lines  had  been  extended 
to  nine  hundred  and  five  miles.  There  are  quarries  of  excel- 
lent slate  discovered,  extending  more  than  eighty  miles  from 
the  Penobscot  to  the  valley  of  the  Kennebec. 

Five  miles  from  Skowhegau  there  has  been  opened  what  is 
called  the  Madison  Siate-Quarry.  The  mine  is  not  only  one  of 
wonderful  promise,  but  already  of  great  performance.  Proba- 
bly there  is  nowhere  to  be  found  slate  of  more  excellent  qual- 
ity for  roofing.  It  is  very  dark  in  color,  and  in  toughness  and 
elasticity  unsurpassed.  Its  surface  is  so  smooth  that  it  appears 
almost  polished.  The  quarry  is  apparently  inexhaustible,  yield- 
ing slate  of  similar  rift  and  quality  with  that  of  the  celebrated 
mine. in  Wales,  which  has  now  been  worked  fifty  years.  The 
slate  has  been  subjected  to  experiments  which  have  elicited 
remarkable  results.  A  slab  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  thickness 
will  support  a  weight  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  pounds.  Ic  can 
be  perforated  to  any  extent  without  crumbling,  so  that  the  piece 
cut  out  can  be  returned  and  exactly  fitted  to  the  hole  from 
which  it  was  cut.  It  can  be  carved,  or  turned  in  a  lathe,  like 
ebony  or  ivory.  When  powdered  it  becomes  an  admirable  arti- 
cle for  the  surface-painting  of  oil-cloths. 

The  toughness  of  the  slate  is  marvellous.     Nails    may  be 


TffE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


505 


driven  through  every  square  inch,  without  injuring  the  texture, 
or  breaking  the  alate.  A  nail  may  l)e  driven  witliin  an  eighth 
of  an  inch  of  the  edge.  It  ia  easily  split  into  plates  of  exactly 
the  same  thickiib.su,  so  that  it  will  lie  perfectly  level  upon  the 
roof.  An  ample  supply  of  water-power  enabled  the  proprietors 
to  conduct  their  works  with  great  eflBciency.  The  plates  have 
easy  access  to  market  by  the  Maine  Central  Railroad. 

Several  quarries,  manufacturing  roofing-slate,  are  in  success- 
ful operation  at  Monson.  The  oldest  quarries  in  the  State  are 
at  Brownville.  For  more  than  thirty  years  tht  se  mines  have 
been  worked,  producing  a  quality  of  slate  which  has  given  the 
elate  of  the  State  of  Maine  the  highest  reputation.  It  is  safe 
to  say  that  the  world  produces  no  finer  roofing  material  than 
that  which  is  to  be  found  in  Maine. 

In  Farraington,  on  the  Sandy  River,  a  quarry  was  opened  in 
the  spring  of  1874.  It  is  called  ^'  The  Little  Blue-Slate  Quar- 
ry." The  stone,  in  quality,  very  much  resembles  that  obtained 
at  Brownville.  The  tests  usually  applied  prove  it  to  be  every 
way  equal,  for  roofing  purposes,  to  that  celebrated  variety.  The 
most  competent  judges,  including  mineralogists,  architects, 
slaters,  and  slate-dealers,  award  it  high  praise  in  respect  to 
color,  non-absorption  of  water,  tenacity,  and  durability.  There 
is  good  reason  to  expect  that  a  section  of  this  quarry,  recently 
opened,  will  afford  material  for  school-slates  of  superior  quality. 

The  commercial  facilities  of  Maine  are  unsurpassed  by  any 
State  in  the  Union.  The  sinuosities  of  the  snore  are  such,  that 
there  are  between  two  and  three  thousand  miles  of  coast-line. 
Its  bays  and  inlets  afford  innumerable  safe  harbors.  There  is 
probably  no  other  portion  of  the  globe  which  exceeds  or  equals 
Maine  in  the  magnitude  of  its  water-power.  There  are  one 
thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-eight  lakes  within  her  borders, 
at  an  average  elevation  of  six  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea. 

"These,"  says  Gov.  Dingley,  "  form  the  head  waters  of  five 
thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  streams,  which  go  rushing 
down  towards  the  ocean,  creating  three  thousand  water-powers, 
which  afford  a  force  measured  by  not  less  than  one  million  horse- 
powers, and  equal  to  the  working  energy  of  thirteen  million 


I 


£06 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


men.  When  it  is  remembered  that  not  a  thousandth  part  of  the 
water-power  of  the  State  is  as  yet  harnessed  to  machinery,  some 
faint  idea  of  the  almost  boundless  extent  of  our  manufacturing 
resourt  s  may  be  obtained."  ^ 

The  annual  rain-fall  of  Maine,  assumed  at  forty-two  inches, 
would  create  a  lake,  covering  eight  hundred  and  seventy-one 
square  miles,  of  the  depth  of  Lake  Eiie.  The  inland  body  of 
water,  including  lakes  and  rivers,  covers  a  surface  of  three 
thousand  two  hundred  square  miles. 

There  are  in  Maine  four  hundred  and  seventy-one  cities, 
towns,  and  plantations,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  town- 
ships. It  is  diflScult  to  give  with  precision  the  number  of 
water-powers,  but  from  a  careful  estimate  it  is  judged  that  there 
cannot  be  less  than  three  thousand  one  hundred.  More  than 
half  of  these  privileges  are  as  yet  unused. 

If  we  subtract  from  the  territory  of  Maine  three  thorsand 
two  hundred  square  miles  for  lake,  pond,  and  river  surfaces,  and 
five  hundred  square  miles  for  mountain  tops  and  sides,  ledge* 
and  heaths,  and  tracts  too  barren  to  support  trees,  there  is  left, 
of  cultivited  farms  and  forest  surface,  twenty-one  thousand 
square  miles.  Of  this  region  there  is  about  fifteen  thousand 
square  miles  of  the  primeval  forest,  whose  silent  depths  have 
never  echoed  to  the  axe  of  the  settler. 

This  vast  expanse,  destined  eventually  to  afford  prosperous 
homes  to  a  large  population,  is  seven  times  as  large  as  the 
famous  "  Black  Forest "  of  Germany.  Indeed,  it  is  larger  than 
the  States  of  Connecticut,  Delaware,  and  Rhode  Island  united* 
Maine  seems  to  have  been  designed  by  nature  as  a  great  manu- 
facturing State.  These  water-powers  are  admirably  located  for 
access  to  our  own  great  commercial  centres,  by  river  navigation 
and  by  railroads.  The  valleys  admit  of  the  extension  of  rail- 
ways far  into  the  interior. 

"  The  location  of  the  State  amid  surrounding  seas ;  its  extent  of  surface ; 
the  disposition  of  its  slopes ;  its  geological  structure  ;  its  surface  forms  and 
extensive  forests ;  its  grand  system  of  lakes,  with  their  uni/"  rm  connection 
with  the  rivers,  and  susceptibility  of  reservoir  improvement ;  the  low  annu- 
al temperature,  and  especially  the  low  summer  temperature,  which  at  ono» 

1  Address  of  Qov.  Nelson  Dingley,  1874. 


TEE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


607 


reduces  evaporation,  and  contributes  to  vigorous  labor;  the  winds  of  the 
State,  as  a  whole  maritime  in  character ;  the  copious  rain-fall,  with  its  uni- 
form  distribution  throughout  the  year,  and  diffusion  over  the  whole  State ; 
the  late  lingering  of  the  snow  in  spring ;  the  small  percentage  of  evapora- 
tion, resulting  from  the  low  temperature,  from  the  number  of  rainy,  snowy, 
and  cloudy  days;  the  consequent  large  residue  of  water  for  removal  by  rivers, 
and  which  our  favorable  surface  forms  determine  ,to  be  removed  by  rivers, 
—  taken  together,  constitute  a  sum  of  favorable  conditions,  which,  it  is  coi;  •  i- 
dently  believed,  no  other  equal  area  of  the  globe  can  surpass,  or  can,  indeed, 
so  much  as  equal.  Other  districts  may  have,  and  certainly  do  have,  some 
one  or  more  of  the  advantageous  features  more  decidedly  developed  thao 
Maine ;  but  none  can  parallel  fully,  as  is  believed,  their  combined  series."  » 

These  facts  seem  to  indicate  that  Maine  is  to  become  tho 
great  manufacturing  State  of  the  Union.     When  we  add  to  the 
above  considerations,  that  its  climate  is  in  the  highest  degree 
salubrious,  and  that,  in  point  of  economy,  water-power  is  vastly 
superior  to  steam-power,  it  would  seem  to  be  inevitable,  that 
eventually  the  hum   of  productive    machinery  will    resound 
through  all  these  valleys.    This  will  afford  a  basis  for  the  em- 
ployment of  ttn  immense  population.     And  this  will  give  new 
energy  to  all  industrial  pursuits,  causing  harvests  to  wave  over 
all  the  plains,  and  cattle  to  graze  over  all  the  hillsides.     This 
wonderful  water-power  is  a  grand  resource  of  the  State,  which 
can  never  fail.    It  is  based  upon  features  of  the  country,  and 
upon  recuperative  processes  of  nature,  which  must  be  permanent. 
Power  is  the  creator  of  wealth.     Wherever  power  is  found,  the 
ingenuity  of  man  will  utilize  it.     The  power  of  Maine  is  worth 
more  to  the  State  than  mines  of  precious  metals  or  reservoirs  of 
coal.     The  State  is  adopting  an  eminently  wise  policy,  iu  en-  ' 
couraging  the  formation  of  companies  for  manufacturing  pur- 
poses, in  exempting  such  infant  establishments  from  taxation, 
and  in  allowing  towns  to  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  manufacturing 
enterprises. 

In  accordance  with  a  recommendation  to  -"he  legislature  by 
Gov.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain,  in  1869,  commissioners  were 
appointed  to  explore  the  water-power  of  the  State.  The  resuli 
is  contained  in  an  exceedingly  valuable  volume  of  about  five 
hundred  pages,  issued  by  Walter  Wells,  Esq.,  superintendent 

1  Water-Power  of  Maine,  p.  64. 


508 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


of  the  Hydrographic  Survey.  From  that  volume  I  glean  the 
following  facts  in  reference  to  several  of  the  most  important 
rivers  of  Maine. 

The  Saco  River  drains  a  valley  seventy-four  miles  in  length, 
and  thirty  miles  in  its  greatest  breadth.  The  area  of  this 
valley  includes  fourteen  hundred  square  miles.  Eight  hundred 
of  these  are  in  Maine,  and  six  hundred  in  New  Hampshire. 
The  upper  half  of  the  valley  is  still  heavily  wooded,  with  but 
few  clearings.  It  is  estimated  that  one-half  of  the  entire  dis- 
trict is  still  a  wilderness.  The  length  of  the  river,  from  its 
.sources  among  the  mountains  to  the  sea,  including  its  windings, 
is  about  ninety-five  miles.  At  Saco,  the  stream  is  about  six 
hundred  feet  wide.  Even  in  the  drought  of  summer,  forty 
thousand  cubic  feet  of  water  can  be  commanded  per  minute,  for 
€leven  workin!^  hours  of  ths  day,  or  eighteen  thousand  cubic 
feet  for  the  whole  twenty-four  hours.  There  are  seventy-five 
lakes  in  this  valley.  By  means  of  these  reservoirs,  the  volume 
of  water  may  be  greatly  increased.  The  descent  of  the  river, 
for  about  sixty-seven  miles,  is  seven  feet  to  the  mile.  The 
gross  power  developed  is  estimated  to  be  equivalent  to  seven- 
teen thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-three  horse  power. 
This  is  sufficient  to  drive  six  hundred  and  ninety-nine  thousand 
four  hundred  and  ninety-three  spindles. 

Five  miles  from  Portland,  at  Westbrook,  on  the  Presump- 
flcot,  there  is  a  very  important  water  power  occupied  by  the 
paper  mills,  owned  by  the  estate  of  S.  D.  Warren  of  Boston. 
There  is  at  this  point  in  the  river  a  fall  of  twenty  feet,  which 
develops  at  the  average  flow  of  the  river  about  two  thousand 
horse  power.  Some  eight  hundred  men  and  two  hundred 
women  are  employed  at  this  mill  all  the  year  round.  The  an- 
nual product  amounts  to  about  two  and  one-half  million  dol- 
lars. The  principal  markets  are  in  Boston  and  New  York. 
The  product  of  the  mill  at  the  present  time  is  about  fifty  tons 
of  fine  book  and  printing  papers  per  day. 

The  valley  of  the  Androscoggin  is  about  one  hundred  and 
ten  miles  in  length,  and  seventy  miles  in  its  greatest  breadth. 
It  extends  from  the  northerly  outposts  of  the  White  Mountains 
to  the  ocean.     The  territory  drained  by  the  Androscoggin  and 


an- 
dol- 


.J 


FDBLIC   UBRABY,   PORTLAND. 


I 


510 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


its  tributaries  embraces  three  thousand  six  hundred  square 
miles.  It  is  judged  that  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty 
of  these  square  miles  are  still  covered  with  the  primeval  forest. 
The  number  of  tributary  streams  contributing  to  the  flood  of 
the  Androscoggin  is  six  hundred  and  sixty-nine.  The  length 
of  the  river  from  Lake  Umbagog  to  Brunswick,  where"  it 
.ae;.ts  the  tide,  is  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  miles. 

T  le  low  run  at  Brunswick  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  cubic  feet  a  minute  for  eleven  hours  of  the  day, 
or  fifty-seven  thousaud  for  the  twenty-four  hours.  The  descent 
of  the  river,  from  Lake  Umbagog  to  Brunswick,  is  twelve  hun- 
dred and  fifty-six  feet,  being  nearly  eight  and  a  half  feet  a 
mile.  There  are  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  lakes  in  this 
valley,  fifteen  of  which  are  in  New  Hampshire.  These  lakes 
cover  a  surface  of  two  hundred  and  thirteen  square  miles.  It 
is  estimated  that  the  power  of  the  section  of  tlio  river,  between 
Rumford  and  the  head  of  the  tide,  is  equivalent  to  eighty-five 
thousand  two  hundred  horse  power.  This  would  drive  nearly 
four  million  spindles.     Not  one-eighth  of  this  is  now  used. 

The  basin  of  the  Kennebec  River  is  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five  miles  in  length,  with  seventy-five  miles  of  greatest  breadth. 
It  covers  an  area  of  five  thousand  eight  hundred  square  miles. 
There  are  one  thousand  and  eighty-four  tributary  streams.  The 
length  of  the  river  from  Moosehead  Lake  to  the  ocean,  includ- 
ing its  windings,  is  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  miles.  The 
average  width  of  the  river  at  Augusta  is  seven  hundred  feet. 
In  the  summer  of  1866,  Col.  De  Witt  found  that  one  hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  cubic  feet  of  water  per  minute  passed 
Augusta  for  the  whole  twenty-four  hours.  It  is  estimated  that 
the  average  will  be  two  hundred  ninety- six  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet  each  minute,  for  eleven  hours  of  the  day. 
The  depth  of  water  on  the  dam  is  usually  from  five  to  seven  feet. 
On  one  occasion  it  was  ten  feet. 

There  are  three  hundred  and  sixteen  lakes  in  this  basin, 
<}overing  an  expanse  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles. 
Moosehead  Lake  is  thirty-five  miles  in  length  by  twelve  in 
breadth.  At  the  outlet  of  the  lake  there  is  a  dam.  Upon 
lioisting  the  gates,  it  takes  the  wave  of  accumulated  water 


^ 


THE  niSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


511 


It 


^ 


about  forty  hours  to  reach  Augusta.  A  strong  southerly  wind 
will  retard  it  nearly  three  hours.  The  river  is  navigable  for 
small  vessels  to  Augusta.  The  mean  period  of  the  opening  of 
the  river  in  spring  is  on  the  6th  of  April,  and  of  closing  on 
the  12th  of  December. 

We  give  a  vie'v  of   Skowhegan  Falls  on  Kennebec  River. 
The  total  faU  is  twenty-eight  feet  within  half  a  mile.     Much  of 


NORTH   CUANNKL   D.\M,    AT  'SKOWHEGAN,  MK. 

it  is  nearly  perpendicular.  The  full  could  be  greatly  increased 
by  dams.  A  small  island  of  rock  divides  the  fall  into  two 
channels,  and  would  serve  a  natural  pier  to  the  sections  of  the 
dam,  and  as  sites  for  mills.  The  bottom  of  the  river  is  a  solid 
ledge,  and  so  are  the  banks. 

In  the  towns  of  Madison  and  Anson,  on  the  Kennebec  River, 
there  is  an  important  water-power  known  as  the  Madison 
Bridge  Falls.,  There  is,  at  this  point,  a  fall  of  eighty-seven  feet 
within  a  distance  of  two  and  a  half  miles.  There  are  two 
principal  pitches.  The  cut  represents  the  upper  one,  and  shows 
scarcely  one-fourth  of  the  descent.  The  bottom  is  a  ledge,  and 
danib  can  be  located  at  any  desired  point. 


612 


THE  HiarORY  OF  MAINE. 


In  the  towns  of  Embden  and  Solon,  on  the  Kennebec  River, 
there  is  a  fall  of  twenty  feet  perpendicular,  called  "  Carratunk 
Falls."  A  dam  can  easily  be  built  ten  feet  high.  This  would 
give  thirty  feet  fall,  equal  to  that  at  Lowell.  Thus  there  would 
be  obtained  five  thousand  five  hundred  horse-power,  which 
would  drive  two  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  spindles.     The 


MADISON   BRIDGE   FALLS    ANSON  AND    IMADISON,  MB. 

facilities  for  canalling,  by  the  falls,  are  very  good.  The  ground 
is  admirably  graded.  An  extent  of  about  one  hundred  acres  is 
well  adapted  for  the  erection  of  buildings  sufficient  to  accommo- 
date a  large  population. 

The  valley  of  the  Penobscot  River  lies  east  of  that  of  the 
Kennebec.     It  is  entirely  within  the  boundaries  of  the  State. 

"  The  Penobscot  is  the  only  great  fluviatile  district  in  Maine  which  illus- 
trates, in  its  actual  configuration,  the  geographical  idea  of  the  river  basin, 
—  appearing  as  a  mere  point  at  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  thence,  interior- 
ward,  expanding  symmetrically  on  both  siles  of  the  central  channel, 
presently  embranching  into  subordinate  basins,  themselves  disposed  likewise 
symmetrically  about  triWvaty  streams,  and  themselves  yet  further  breaking 


THE  IJISTORY  OF  MAINE.  5IH 

ap  into  8tiU  smaller  basins,  located  upon  atill  sraallor  tributaries,  until  the 
whole  takes  on  he  similitude  of  a  mighty  tree,  that  from  one  trunk  ramifiei, 
into  innumerable  branches,  and  from  one  grand  aorta  divaricates  into  num. 
berless  arteries  and  veins,  by  which,  upon  occasion,  its  entire  volume  of 

L"d  di'ch"     *°  "'  ''""'  "*°  *  '^''™"''"  ^^^""^^  '^^  -"-l-'-- 


I 


CAKIIATUNK   FALLS,  EMBDE.V    AND   SOLOX.    ME. 

The  greatest  length  of  the  valley  of  the  Penobscot,  from 
north  to  south,  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  and  its  greatest 
breadth  one  hundred  and  fifteen  miles.  It  includes  an  area  of 
eight  thousand  two  hundred  square  miles.  The  highest  portion 
of  the  basin,  at  the  head  waters  of  the  main  river,  is  about  two 
thousand  feet  above  the  sea-level.  The  State  map  represents 
one  thousand  six  hundred  and  four  streams  in  the  Penobscot 
system.  The  river  from  its  extreme  head  waters,  including  its 
wmdings,  is  about  three  hundred  miles  in  length.  The  chief 
water-power  is  between  Lake  Chesuncook  and  Bangor,  a  dis- 
tance of  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  where  the  faU  is  about 
♦  i  Water-Power  of  Maine,  p.  100. 


014 


THK  in  STORY  OF  MAINE 


nine  hunilred  feet.  It  is  one  of  the  most  highly  favored  streams 
ill  the  State,  presenting,  witliout  any  artificial  aid,  remarkable 
uniformity  in  the  volume  of  water  throughout  the  entire  year. 

There  are  four  hundred  and  sixty-seven  lakes  in  this  basin, 
covering  a  surfiu-e  of  four  hundred  and  sixty-two  square  miles. 
Many  of  these  lakes  are  large,  and  can  be  used  to  almost  any 
amount  for  reservoirs.  The  river  can  thus  meet  immense  man- 
ufacturing demands. 


LPPER   DAM,  AT    ELLSWORtll,  MP:. 

At  Ellsworth,  on  Union  River,  a  few  miles  east  from  the 
Penobscot,  there  is  a  fall  of  about  eighty  feet  within  two  miles. 
Above  the  Upper  Dam,  the  water  is  level  for  a  long  distance. 
The  dam  throws  back  the  water  ten  miles.  A  town  of  five 
thousand  inhabitants  has  sprung  up  around  these  falls.  The 
power,  for  fifty  years,  has  been  employed  almost  exclusively 
for  the  manufacture  of  lumber.  The  annual  product  has  been 
about  thirty-five  million  feet  of  long  lumber,  two  hundred 
thousand  sugar-box  shooks,  two  million  laths,  five  million  shin- 
gles, two  hundred  thousand  elapboardj-i,  and  a  large  quantity  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


515 


smaller  stuff.  Tlio  ammul  value  of  these  productions  is  esti- 
mated at  nearly  a  million  dollars.  The  principal  markets  are 
Portland,  Boston,  New  York,  and  Cuba. 

The  valley  of  the  St.  Croix  is  seventy  miles  in  length,  and 
fifty  in  greatest  l)readth.  It  embraces  an  area  of  one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  square  miles.  Eight  hundred  of 
these  are  in  Maine ;  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  are  in  the 
adjacent  British  Province.  Almost  the  entire  flow  of  the  river 
is  from  lakes,  and  these  may  be  easily  converted  Into  reservoirs. 

The  lacustrine  aspect  of  this  valley  is  very  remarkable.  It 
can  hardly  be  paralleled  by  any  country  on  the  globe.  The 
northern  branch  of  the  river  is  almost  a  continuous  lake  of  vast 
extent,  and  of  wondrous  eccentricities  of  windings  and  form. 
The  western  branch  is  also  mainly  a  lake,  broken  into  many 
small  sheets  of  water.  "  The  river,"  says  Mr.  Wells,  "  might 
almost  justly  be  described  as  a  lake  in  motion."  The  total  of 
lake  surface  is  estimated  at  not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
square  miles. 

"  A  proportion  sc  "eraarkable  places  the  St.  Croix  at  onco,  and  without 
controversy,  in  the  foremost  position  among  the  large  rivers  of  the  State,  aa 
a  manufacturing  stream,  so  far  as  regards  natural  reservoirs,  and  in  propor- 
tion to  its  magnitude  and  its  area  of  basin.  The  power  on  the  main  river, 
from  below  the  junction  of  the  w^st  and  north  branches,  is  already,  for 
the  greater  part,  well  accommodateu  with  railroad  communication."  * 


The  upper  waters  of  the  St.  John  constitute,  in  the  extreme 
northern  part  of  the  State,  the  boundary  between  Maine  anu  the 
British  possessions.  In  this  region,  the  right  bank  of  the  river 
belongs  to  Maine ;  and,  still  farther  up,  the  whole  stream  is 
■within  orr  temtory.  The  greatest  length  of  the  river  in  Maine, 
measured  along  its  southern  border,  is  about  two  hundred  and 
eleven  miles.  The  greatest  breadth  of  the  valley,  in  these  upper 
waters,  is  ninety  miles.  The  St.  John  constitutes,  next  to  the 
Androscoggin  River,  the  most  elevated  drainage  in  Maine. 

The  stream  flows  through  the  glooms  of  a  dense  but  almost 
unbroken  wilderness.  The  total  length  of  this  important  river, 
from  its  sources  to  the  sea,  is  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles.     The 

1  Water-Power  of  Mainf ,  p.  120. 


I 


616 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


area  of  the  lakes  ia  the  St.  John  basin  is  three  hundred  and 
fifty  square  miles.  In  the  ujjper  waters,  the  slope  is  so  gradual 
that  the  stream  is  navigable  through  nearly  the  whole  length 
of  its  flow  in  Maine,  being  comparatively  ol  little  value  for  the 
purposes  of  power. 

We  have  thus  given  a  brief  account  of  the  primary,  or  interior 
river  systems  in  Maine.  When  it  ia  remembered  that  there  are 
represented,  upon  the  State  map,  five  thousand  one  hundred  and 
fifty-one  streams  in  Maine,  and  that  there  are  over  three  thou- 
sand valuable  water-powers,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  minute  detail 
of  these  privileges  is  impossible. 

There  is  a  general  impression  that  Maine  is  too  far  away  in 
the  North,  and  too  severe  in  its  climate,  to  invite  emigration. 
Mr.  Blodgett  writes,  in  his  Climatology  of  the  United  States,  — 

'«  The  Mississippi  Valley  has  been  pre-eminent  as  the  theatre  of  malari- 
oofl  fevers,  which  have  been  the  scourge  of  emigrants  from  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  world.  To  the  natives  of  the  North  of  Europe,  and  the  British  Isles 
in  paHicular,  the  change  has  been  extremely  trying;  and  prostration  by 
some  one  of  its  forms,  mild  or  severe,  has  been  ahnost  certain  to  attend  the 
new-comer.  India  itself  has  not  been  more  certain  to  break  the  health  of 
the  emigrant,  than  the  Mississippi  Valley,  though  the  American  forms  of 
disease  wp'-e  always  attended  with  a  much  smaller  ratio  of  mortality." 

Fever  and  ague,  yellow  fever,  and  cholera  are  never  known 
as  epidemics  in  Maine.  Many  a  farmer  has  emigrated  to  the 
malarious  regions  of  the  West,  with  a  family  of  ruddy  boys  and 
girls,  to  see  them,  one  c-nd  all,  wilt  down,  pale,  emaciate,  with 
all  their  energies  paralyzed,  beneath  the  s6ourge  of  fever  and 
ague.  And  as  he  himself,  now  shaking  with  the  chill,  and  now 
burning  with  fever,  has  looked  upon  his  desponding  household, 
he  has  wished,  with  yearnings  which  cannot  be  expressed,  that 
he  and  his  family  could  again  breathe  the  invigorating  atmos- 
phere even  of  a  Maine  winter. 

It  is  often  said  that  health  is  the  greatest  of  blessings.  This 
consideration  will  doubtless  influence  the  young  men  of  Maine 
to  remain  at  home,  and  improve  the  wonderful  resources  which 
God  has  placed  in  theu:  hands.  And  it  will  doubtless  invite 
emigrants  from   Northerr   Europe,  from  Scotland,  Germany, 


THE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


817 


Holland,  Belgium,  Norway,  and  Sweden.  Hero  they  find  a 
climate  essentially  the  same  with  that  to  which  they  have 
been  accustomed  from  childhood,  and  which  their  ancesto.u 
have  enjoyed  for  centuries  before  them. 

It  is  a  great  mistake  to  suppose  that  a  cold  climate  is  unfavor- 
able to  prosperity  and  happiness.  There  is  unquestionably  far 
more  enjoyment  in  St.  Petersburg,  Russia,  than  in  Calcutta. 
The  homes  of  Norway  and  Sweden  ai?  more  attractive  than 
those  of  Italy  and  Southern  Spain.  I  once  asked  a  group  of 
thirty  boys  at  school  in  Farmington,  Me.,  "  Which  do  you  like 
best,  summer  or  winter?"  The  spontaneous  and  universal 
response  was,  "  Oh,  winter,  winter  !  "  There  were  some  boys 
from  Cuba  there.  No  words  can  express  the  delight  with  which 
they  enjoyed  the  magnificent  snow-storms,  the  sleigh-rides,  the 
snow-forts,  the  "sliding  down  hill,"  and  the  skating.  Even 
now,  in  my  seventieth  year,  I  feel  a  thrill  of  pleasurable  emo- 
tion in  contemplating  the  blissful  winters  which  I  passed  in 
early  youth  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kennebec. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 


POPULAB  EDUCATION. 


Kormal  School  in  Farmington  —  Normal  School  iu  Castine  —  Maine  Central 
Institute  —  Oak  Grove  Seminary  —  Commercial  College  —  State  College  of 
Agriculture  — Wlnthrop  Grammar  School  —  Kittery  District  School  —  Intel- 
lectual, Social,  and  Physical  Advantages  of  Maine. 

npHERE  is  probably  no  State  in  the  Union  where  more 
-■-  attention  is  paid  to  the  education  of  the  masses  of  the 
people,  or  where  better  schools  are  maintained,  than  in  Maine. 
In  the  report  of  Hon.  Warren  Johnson,  superintendent  of  public 
schools,  for  the  year  1874,  it  would  appear  that  the  whole  num- 
ber of  scholars,  between  the  ages  of  four  and  twenty-one,  was 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  two  hundred  and  nine- 
teen. There  were  four  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-nine 
Bchoolhouses.  The  estimated  value  of  school-property  was  a 
little  over  three  million  dollars. 

In  Farmington  there  was  a  normal  school  in  a  state  of  high 
prosperity.  The  average  attendance  w£is  a  little  over  one  hun- 
dred. The  object  of  this  scliool  is  the  thorough  training  of 
teachers  for  their  professional  labors.  It  had  an  excellent  phil- 
osophical and  chemical  apparatus,  and  a  good  library.  During 
the  past  ten  years  one  hundred  young  men,  and  one  hundred 
and  ninety-eight  young  women,  have  graduated  at  this  institu- 
tion. 

At  Castine  there  is  another  normal  school.  The  attendance 
in  the  spring  term  of  the  year  1874  was  one  hundred  and  thirty, 
iu  five  classes.  The  whole  number  in  attendance  during  the 
year  was  three  hundred  and  eleven.  The  regular  course  of 
study  embraced  .^ee  years.    The  diligent  student  in  this  time 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


619 


could  become  well  qualified  to  teach  in  the  common  schools. 
In  one  of  the  late  reports  we  read  the  following  encouraging 
statement :  — 


"  The  earnest,  able  young  men  and  women  of  Maine  have  never  before 
had  such  inducements  offered  them  to  become  teachers.  The  workers  and 
the  work  are  becoming  appreciated.  Wages,  commensurate  with  the  culture 
and  industry  of  the  teacher,  are  now  offered  for  his  services.  We  have 
not  been  able  to  supply  the  demand  for  first-class  teachers.  The  free  high 
schools  are  calling  for  our  best  teachers,  and  the  demand  will  increase." 

This  high  standard  of  qualifications  required  in  the  teacher 
will  have  an  influence  on  all  grades  of  schools.  The  work  of 
educating  the  children  of  the  State  will  be  in  the  hands  of  those 
who  have  been  systematically  trained  to  the  calling,  and  who 
will  enter  upon  it  with  an  intelligent  enthusiasm  which  will  call 
forth  the  best  energies  of  the  pupils.  The  many  interesting 
questions  now  engaging  the  attention  of  prominent  educators  — 
some  of  them  of  vital  importance  to  the  future  welfare  of  the 
nation  —  will  be  treated  by  the  graduates  of  these  schools  with 
a  candid  and  far-reaching  consideration,  and  the  whole  subject 
of  education  will  be  elevated  to  its  proper  position  in  the  minds 
of  the  public. 

Even  from  a  material  point,  this  attention  to  the  cause  of 
popular  education  will  have  its  reward.  In  the  close  competi- 
tion for  the  commerce  of  the  world  now  going  on  between  the 
leading  nations  of  Europe  and  America,  every  power  of  the 
mind  is  being  cultivated,  and  brought  into  action ;  new  schools 
are  being  founded,  and  old  ones  re-organized  ;  and  the  unedu- 
cated peoples  will  fall  behind  in  the  struggle  for  pre-eminence. 
This  State,  with  its  great  facilities  for  manufacturing  and  me- 
chauical  enterprises,  and  its  educated  population,  will  take  a 
foremost  position  among  the  progressive  communities  of  the 
day.  It  has  certainly  reason  to  congratulate  itself  upon  the 
success  which  has  attended  the  working  of  its  normal  schools. 
The  thousands  of  young  men  and  young  women  who  have 
graduated  from  the  schools  at  Farmington  and  Castine  have 
gone  into  all  parts  of  the  State,  and  are  now  exerting  an  influ- 
ences, silent,  but  none  the  less  effective  on  its  school-system. 


520 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


The  town  of  Castire  presented  the  State  with  p  fine  lot  of 
land,  for  the  erection  of  a  new  building,  about  the  j^ear  1872. 
The  school  was  then  in  successful  operation.     In  the  year  1873 


NORMAL  SCHOOL,  CASTINE. 


the  present  beautiful  edifice  was  completed.  Gov.  Perham  and 
his  council,  with  many  distinguished  friends  of  education, 
attended  the  dedicatory  exercises.  An  audience  of  five  hun- 
dred was  assembled  in  the  hall,  and  yet  it  was  of  capacity  to 


2. 

r3 


THE  niSTORT  OF  MAINE. 


521 


accommodate  one  hundred  more.     Speeches  were  made  by  the 
governor,  and  by  other  citizens  of  Maine  and  of  other  States. 

Ihis  IS  one  of  the  best  schoolhouses  in  the  State  The 
region  around  is  occupied  by  a  religious,  intelligent,  industrious 
community,  who  can  well  appreciate  the  value  of  educatr 
The  building  can  accommodate  two  hundred  scholars,  and  h^ 
already  become  a  powerful  instrument  in  the  intellectuS 
advancement  of  the  thriving  surrounding  towns         '"'''''°*""^ 


aiAlXK   CKNTUAL  JXSTITUTK,  PITTSFIKM).  MK. 

Jl  f\  P^^Perous  Village  of  Pittsfield,  about  twenty-three 
miles  east  of  Waterville,  there  is  a  successful  school,  called  the 
"  Majne  Central  Institute."     The  regular  course  of  study  occu! 

aZittd  '"T:  .  T^  """  '"^^  ^°""^  ^^°-^"  -«  -like 
admit  ed      A  board  of  twenty  trustees  presides  over  the  inter- 

ests  of  this  seminary,  and  it  is  intended  to  make  it  a  first-class 

mst^itiition      Latin  and  Greek,  French  and  German,  are  taught, 

It.  \;^  ;  '"'^/'  of  mathematics,  geology,  astronomy, 
mental  philosophy,  and  moral  science.  The  terms  of  tuition 
are  low,  and  board  can  be  obtained  in  the  village  for  about  two 
■dollars  a  week. 

Thus  an  accomplished  education  is  offered  to  the  sons  and 


■ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


52S 


daughters  in  all  the  farm-houses  of  that  rural  district.  The 
institute  includes  a  college  preparatory  course,  a  normal  depart- 
ment, and  an  academic  department.  There  were  in  the  ye^^r 
1874,  in  the  preparatory  course,  eighty-four  pupils  ;  in  the  nor- 
mal, thirty-one  ;  in  the  academic,  one  hundred  and  eight ;  mak- 
ing a  total  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-three. 

And  yet  in  the  unbroken  wilderness,  which  for  countless  gen- 
erations had  covered  these  hills  and  vales,  not  a  solitary  whito 
man  had  reared  his  cabin  until  the  year  1794.  In  1815,  when 
about  a  dozen  families  had  opened  clearings  in  the  forest,  widely 
separated  from  each  other,  the  region  was  elevated  to  the  dig- 
nity of  a  plantation.  In  1819  it  was  incorporated  as  a  towli 
by  the  name  of  Warsaw,  which  name  was  changed  to  Pittsfield 
in  the  year  1819. 

At  Vassalboro'  there  is  quite  a  celebrated  school,  called  the 
Oak  Grove  Seminary,  to  which  a  normal  department  is  attached. 
The  school  year  consists  of  three  terms  of  thirteen  weeks  each. 
An  elevated  course  of  study  is  pursued.  In  1874  there  wer& 
eighteen  pupils  here  preparing  for  teachers.  In  Bucksport 
there  is  an  institution  called  the  Conference  Seminary  and 
Commercial  College.  It  has  a  faculty  of  five  teachers,  and 
about  two  hundred  scholars. 

Westbrook  is  a  beautiful  town,  which  was  a  part  of  Falmouth 
until  the  year  1814.  Upon  Stevens'  Plains  in  this  town,  there 
is  located  a  literary  institution  of  high  order  and  superior 
accommodations.  It  is  called  Westbrook  Seminary,  and  consists 
of  three  principal  buildings,  which  will  accommodate  a  large 
number  of  students.  The  institution  is  well  patronized,  and 
sends  out  yearly  into  the  community  many  well-educated  pupils 
prepared  to  be  useful  in  all  the  walks  of  common  life.  The 
accompanying  illustration  shows  vividly  the  progress  the  State 
has  made  since,  scarcely  a  century  ago,  the  Indians  reared  their 
wigwams  on  these  plains,  and  pursued  their  game  through  the 
glooms  of  an  almost  unbroken  forest. 

A  State  College  of  Agriculture  and  the  Mechanic  Arts  waa 

opened  at  Orono,  in  the  year  1868.     It  is  under  State  patron- 

age,  and  supervised  by  a  carefully  selected  board  of  trustees,  of 

which  Gov.  Coburn  in  the  year  1874  was  president.     The  stu- 

i  JSow  Doeriiig,  the  town  having  been  divided  in  1871.— Elwell. 


11 

I 


52i 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


dents  represented  every  county  in  the  State.  The  institution 
stands  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  community,  and  is  every 
year  regarded  with  increasing  favor  the  several  branches  of  a 
practical  education.  The  number  of  students  in  the  year  1874 
was  one  liundred  and  twenty-one.  The  institution  is  partially 
military  in  its  character,  though  its  principal  object  is  to  give 
the  pupils  the  best  instruction  in  agriculture  and  the  mechanic 


an  edi 
Buita. 


RESIDENCES  OF  COL.  EBENEZER  WEBSTER,  MRS.  MARTHA  (WEBSTER)  TREAT, 

AND  PAUIi  D.  WEBSTER,  Esq. 


arts.  It  proposes  to  do  this  by  giving  every  young  man  an 
opportunity  practically  to  apply  the  theoretical  teaching  he 
receives,  by  labors  on  the  farm  and  in  the  shop.  In  this  way  he 
can  also  partially  defray  the  expenses  of  his  education.  No 
student  is  admitted  under  fifteen  years  of  age.  He  is  subject  to 
an  examination  in  arithmetic,  geography,  English  grammar,  his- 
tory of  the  United  States,  algebra  as  far  as  quadratic  equations, 
and  five  books  in  geometry. 

The  design  of  this  important  institution  is  not  merely  to  pre- 
pare one  understandingly  to  work  upon  the  farm,  but  to  give 


AaaccfM 


"Coi 

state,  i 
ooontyi 
qnality, 
ferent  k 
variely 


THE  EIBTORT  OF  MAINE. 


525 


an  education  which  shall  aid  the  student  in  all  industrial  pai> 
Buita.    Gov.  Washburn  writes,  — 


^£t«eL'^A!M4y9/tS^M^^- 


DISTRICT    SCHOOL    IIOUSK,   KITTKUY,   MK. 


"  Considering  the  locality  of  the  college  in  its  relation  to  the  whole 
State,  its  proximity  to  the  broad  and  fertile  region  of  the  Aroostook,  a 
ooonty  containing  a  larger  number  of  acres  of  farming  lands,  of  the  finest 
quality,  than  any  other  five  counties  in  New  England;  considering  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  soil  on  the  college  farms,  furnishing  opportunities  for  a  great 
variety  of  experiments;  and  considering,  finally,  the  svirpassing  beauty  of 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


697 


its  Bite,  and  its  proximity  to  what  I  have  ever  regarded  as,  beyond  question. 
the  most  charming  inland  village  in  the  State,  so  far  as  the  outward  setting 
of  landscape  and  seen  v  is  concerned,  —  I  think  it  must  be  universally  con- 
oeded  that  the  location  of  the  college  was  fortunate  and  wise." 


o 


M 

M 

u 

lo 
\^ 


u 

H 

CO 


GRAMMAR    SCHOOf,    HOrSR,   WINTHROP,   ME. 

There  are  many  other  literary  and  scientific  institutions  scat- 
tered throughout  the  State,  to  which  we  have  not  space  to 
allude.     In  previous  pages  we  have  spoken  of  the  principal  col- 


028 


THE  niBTORY  OF  MAINE. 


leges,  and  of  several  of  the  more  important  private  schools.  In 
all  the  leading  towns  there  is  a  high  school  for  advanced  pupils. 
These  buildings,  when  contrasted  with  the  school  houses  of 
fifty  years  ago,  may  be  called  palaces.  We  give  pictures  of  two 
of  them,  —  the  Grammar  School  House  in  Winthrop,  and  the 
District  School  in  Kittery,  to  illustrate  the  general  style  of 
these  structures. 

In  the  interesting  and  very  comprehensive  little  book  by 
Hon.  John  Neal,  entitled  "  Portland  Illustrated,"  we  find  the 
following  notice  of  an  important  institution  called  The  Maine 
General  Hospital :  — 

"  This  institution,  established  in  love  to  that  small  part  of  the  great 
human  family  of  sufferers  in  whom  we  have  a  special  interest,  occupies 
what  were  known  as  the  Arsenal  Grounds,  on  Bramhall's  Hill,  of  two  and  a 
half  acres. 

•'  More  than  fifty  thousand  dollars  have  been  raised  by  private  subscrip- 
tion among  ourselves  in  the  city  ;  while  the  State  has  contributed  twenty 
thousand  dollars  conditidnally,  together  with  these  Arsenal  Grounds. 
These  conditions  having  been  more  than  fulfilled,  the  buildings  are  now  so 
near  completion  as  to  make  it  sure  that  before  long  we  shall  have  a  magnifi- 
cent charity  in  full  operation  to  be  thankful  for.* 

*'  The  central  building  is  five  stories,  with  a  mansard  roof;  and  there  are, 
as  you  see,  four  pavilions,  with  an  amphitheatre,  a  boiler-house,  and  a 
kitchen.  From  every  window  there  is  a  wide,  rich,  and  beautiful  prospect 
of  the  whole  surrounding  country;  and,  from  everj  part,  either  a  view  of 
the  sea  and  the  cove,  or  a  view  of  the  White  Mountains  of  New  Hampshire, 
sixty  miles  away,  with  all  the  intervening  villages  and  elevations,  woods  and 
waters;  and  being  always  open  to  the  sea-breezes  on  the  one  side,  and  to  the 
winnowed  atmosphere  of  our  Switzerland  upon  the  other,  a  store-house  of 
health  and  vitality,  the  sick  and  languishing  ^may  be  sure  of  nature's  best 
and  surest  help  at  all  seasons." 


The  writer  is  conscious,  that,  in  the  endeavor  to  give  the  his- 
tory of  Maine  in  one  volume,  many  important  facts  or  events 
may  have  been  omitted,  which  some  will  regret,  and  which  per- 
haps he  may  regret  when  his  attention  is  called  to  them.  But  he 
has,  according  to  the  best  of  his  judgment,  selected  those  inci- 
dents which  he  has  thought  would  be  most  interesting  and 

*  Since  the  above  was  written,  the  hospital  has  been  opened  to  patients,  and  is 
now  in  sucoessfnl  operation. 


■ 


630 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE 


instructive  to  the  general  reader.  And  he  i«  sure  that  this  nar- 
rative truthfully  present^  Maine  in  an  attitude  of  which  all 
her  sons  and  daughters  may  be  proud. 

Life  is  everywhere  a  battle.  It  is  in  vfein  for  any  one  to 
escape  toil  and  trouble.  But,  all  things  considered,  there  is 
probably  not  on  this  globe  a  more  favored,  comfortable,  and 
happy  population  than  that  of  Maine. 

It  is  true  that  cold  breezes  sweep  its  surface  in  winter;  but 
these  blasts,  with  healing  on  their  wings,  drive  all  malarious 
exhalations  from  the  land,  give  elasticity  to  the  mind,  buoyan- 
cy to  the  spirits,  and  invigoration  to  all  physical  energies.  The 
soil  is  certainly  not  so  rich  as  in  some  of  the  renowned  prairies 
and  valleys  of  the  West ;  but  the  water  is  cool,  and  pure  and 
clear  as  crystal.  The  forests  afford  an  abundance  of  every 
variety  of  valuable  uimber;  and  the  streams,  born  among  the 
mountains,  and  rushing  over  their  rocky  beds,  invite  to  all  the 
bi:anches  of  manufactures. 

The  flood  of  foreign  immigration  is  not  pouring  into  Maine  as 
into  some  other  parts  of  the  Union.  But  this  saves  the  State 
from  a  vast  amount  of  inebriation,  vagabondage,  crime,  and  pau- 
perism. And  those  who  do  select  Maine  as  their  home  gener- 
ally come  from  those  countries  of  Northern  Europe  where  intel- 
ligence and  piety  prevail. 

This  renders  the  community  in  Maine  in  a  remarkable  degree 
homogeneous.  The  society  is  in  a  high  degree  intelligent,  moral, 
and  social.  And  thus  it  is  that  Christian  churches  arise  in  everj' 
village,  that  intemperance  can  be  arrested  as  scarcely  anywhere 
else,  that  schools  and  colleges  are  multiplied,  and  intelligence 
and  morality  are  widely  diffused.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find 
in  ai^y  portion  of  our  land  more  happy  homes  than  are  found  ia 
Maine. 


II 


Supplementary   History 


TO  1890 


By    EDWARD    H.    ELWELL 


EXPLANATION. 


A  J.  teen  years  which  have  elapsed  since  the  publication  of  the 
first  edition  of  this  work  have  been  marked  by  events  of  importance 
in  the  history  of  Maine.  The  State  has  increased  in  population, 
and  has  made  good  progress  in  the  development  of  its  resources. 
It  is  the  purpose  of  the  following  supplementary  chaj,*ers  to  bring 
the  narrative  of  events  down  to  the  year  1890,  to  treat  briefly  cei-- 
tain  topics  necessarily  omitted  in  the  body  of  the  work,  and  to  give 
a  summary  of  the  institutions  and  resources  of  the  State  at  the 
pf"  -  nt  time. 

Some  corrections  of  the  original  narrative  have  been  thrown  into 
notes  appended  to  the  original  chapters.     ^ 

E.  H.  Elwell. 


RtS 


\ ' 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


POPULATION. 

Homogeneous  Character  of  Early  Settlers  —  German  Colony  Settled  at 
"V^  doboro  —  The  Irish  —  French  Canadians  —  Swedish  Colony— Immi- 
gration of  JiTative  Element  —  Growth  of  Population  Since  1790  — Frag- 
ments of  Aboriginal  Tribes. 

THE  population  of  Maine  has  always  been  largely  of  a 
homogeneous  character.  Theio  has  been  here  no  such  ad- 
mixture of  races  as  immigration  has  brought  about  in  the  western 
States.  The  early  settlers  of  Maine  were  of  the  English  race, 
loyal  to  king  and  church,  having  little  affinity  with  the  Puri- 
tans of  Massachusetts.  After  that  province  acquired  possession 
of  Maine  there  was  a  considerable  immigratii  ,.  Prom  Massa- 
chusetts into  the  District  (as  Maine  was  then  called),  and  under 
the  influence  of  Puritan  institutions,  the  differences  between 
the  two  classes  of  population  largely  disappeared. 

The  earliest  foreign  element  introduced  was  the  German 
colony  brought  in  by  Samuel  Waldo,  who  in  1739  founded 
the  town  of  Waldoboro,  where  German  names  still  linger. 
These  were  of  the  Lutheran  sect,  but  they  were  gradually 
absorbed  by  the  Puritan  churches,  and  today  their  descendants 
are  witujut  a  Lutheran  church  in  that  whole  region.  They 
did  not,  therefore,  introduce  a  diverse  element  in  religion,  and 
their  descendants  have  become  thoroughly  assimilated  with  the 
native  population. 

The  Irish  came  in  largely  with  the  introduction  of  railroads. 
They  came  as  laborers  along  the  line  of  track,  and  gravitated 
to  the  cities  on  the  sea-board.  In  the  city  of  Portland  the 
Irish-American  element  forms  from  one-quarter  to  one-third  of 
the  population.  They  introduced  the  Roman  Catholic  form  of 
worship,  which  now  has  its  churches  in  many  of  the  large 
interior  villages,  as  well  as  the  cities  of  the  State.  The  Irish 
have  re-enforced  the  industrial  element  of  the  State,  and  have 
prospered  in  their  new  home. 

63.S 


684 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  French  Canadians,  followuig  the  track  of  their  ancestors 
down  the  Kennebec,  and  also  along  the  railroad  lines  running 
into  Canada,  have  found  employment  in  the  factories  of  our 
manufacturing  villages ;  and  in  Waterville,  Lewiston  and  other 
river  cities  and  towns,  form  a  large  and  increasing  element  of 
the  population,  not  without  its  Influence  in  determining  munici- 
pal elections.  This  element  of  our  population  is  a  growing 
one,  and  does  not  readily  assimilate  with  the  native  element. 
It  promises  to  form  a  distinct  class  of  the  population. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Swedes  introduced,  as  stated  in  a 
previous  chapter,  into  the  county  of  Aroostook,  in  1870,  readily 
assimilated  with  the  native  population,  a  hardy,  thrifty,  and 
industrious  people,  forming  a  valuable  re-enforcement  of  its 
waning  strength.  They  have  spread  from  New  Sweden  into 
adjoining  townships,  and  now  number  about  fifteen  hundred, 
whi'c  they  have  drawn  into  the  State  a  Scandinavian  population 
estimated  at  near  ten  thousand.  In  Portland  they  sustain  two 
churches,  and  in  the  country  towns  adjoining,  they  are  taking 
up  exhausted  farms,  and  getting  a  living  off  them,  thus  taking 
the  place  of  the  native  population  who  go  West  to  more  fer- 
tile lands.  The  demand  for  skilled  labor  in  our  factories  has 
also  brought  in  a  sprinkling  of  English,  Scotch,  and  Welsh 
people. 

But  all  these  foreign  elements  constitute  but  a  small  percent- 
age of  the  population  of  the  State.  In  1880,  out  of  a  popula- 
tion of  648,936,  there  were  but  58,883  of  foreign  birth.  While 
the  State  has  profited  little  from  immigration,  it  has  suffered 
much  from  the  emigration  of  its  sons^  and  daughters  to  other 
States  of  the  Union.  This  began  early  in  the  century,  when 
"  the  Ohio  fever  "  carried  off  thousands,  painfully  traveling  on 
the  long  wagon  route  to  the  fertile  lands  beyond  the  AHegha- 
nies.  Later,  the  building  of  railroads,  opening  to  settlement 
the  prairies  of  the  farther  West,  induced  a  large  emigration  from 
the  State.  The  discovery  of  gold  in  California  swept  away 
thousands  more.  The  manufacturing  industries  of  neighbor- 
ing States,  notably  Massachusetts,  offered  employment  to  the 
rising  generation,  who  found  no  inducement  to  remain  upon 
the  home  farm.  In  1880,  no  less  than  68,226  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  Maine  were  living  in  Massachusetts.  They  were 
to  be  found  in  every  State  and  Territory  of  the  Union.  The 
census  showed  that  there  were  living  in  that  year   745,272 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE.  635 

persona  Of  Maine  birth,  only  563,015  of  whom  were  residing  in 
the  State.  The  large  number  of  182,257  men,  women  and 
children  had  gone  out  from  her  bdrders  to  make  their  homes  in 
other  States  She  had  been  bereft  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  her 
native  population.  And  these  were  of  her  best.  It  requires 
energy  and  enterprise  to  push  out  into  new  lands  and  begin  the 
world  anew  Only  men  and  women  of  moral,  as  well  as  physi- 
cal  stamina  have  the  spirit  to  engage  in  such  an  undertakL. 

.h    f    .''.f  r^.""^  ^f  ^''  P^P^l^ti^'^  ^as  not  so  much  due  to 

he  fact  that  Maine  had  no  resources  open  to  her  people  as  tr; 

the  resaessness  engendered  by  the  opening  of  a  vast  continent 

of  boundless  resources.      The  enterprising  spirit  of  the  men 

and  women  of  Maine,  born  of  her  rigorous  climate,  and  the 

educating  influences  of  her  institutions,  carried  them  into  new 

helds  of  effort  promising  large  returns.     What  Maine  has  lost, 

has  been  gained  by  the  country  at  large.     Everywhere  the  sons 

and  daughters  of  Maine  are  found  in  the  forefront  of  useful 

endeavor     Throughout  the  West  they  have  planted  the  insti- 

tutions  of  New  England;  the  church  and  the  school  follow  in 

their  footsteps.     On  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  they  have  had  a 

large  share  in  laying  the  foundations  of  great  and  prosperous 

Mates     In  the  South  they  are  engaged  in  educating  the  eman- 

cipated  slaves  and  their   offspring,  and  in  introducing   those 

manufacturing  industries  which  are  to  give  new  life  to  the 

Southern  people. 

In  1790,  at  the  taking  of  the  first  census,  the  population  of 
Maine  was  not  quite  one  hundred  thousand.  It  increased 
rapidly  during  the  early  decades  of  the  present  century,  and  in 
1840  had  run  up  to  a  little  rising  five  hundred  thousand,  having 
thus  multiplied  itself  by  five  during  the  half-century.  From 
1840  to  1860,  the  increase  was  comparatively  small,  the  popu- 
ation  at  the  latter  date  being  628,279.  During  the  deca.le  of 
ae  civil  war  it  fell  off  to  026,915  i,i  1870.  The  suppression  of 
the  rebellion  brought  a  ^arn  of  the  tide,  and  the  census  of 
1880  gave  the  State  six  hundred  forty-eight  thousand  nine 
hundred  thirty-six  inhabitants.  During  the  last  decade  the 
increase  has  been  in  a  larger  ratio;  the  census  of  1890  show- 
ing  a  population  of  six  hundred  sixty-one  thousand  eighty-six. 
Emigration  from  the  State  is  still  going  on,  but  to  a  less  extent 
than  lonueriy,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  new  enterprises  open- 
ing in  Maine,  consequent  on  the  running  of  railroads  thvon^h. 


536 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


her  forest  counties,  and  the  development  of  resources  as  yet 
untouched,  will  in  the  future  give  her  people  adequate  employ- 
ment at  home. 

It  remains  only  to  mention  the  fragments  of  the  aboriginal 
stock  still  lingering  in  the  State.  The  tribes  with  which  the 
early  settlers  so  long  waged  war,  as  narrated  in  previous  chap- 
ters of  this  work,  decimated  by  the  sanguinary  strife,  and 
driven  to  the  St.  Francis,  have  left  behind  but  two  small  bodies 
known  as  the  Passamaquoddies  and  the  Penobscots.  Together 
they  number  but  about  one  thousand.  The  former  have  their 
abode  in  villages  at  Pleasant  Point  and  Peter  Dana's  Point; 
the  latter  dwell  on  an  island  in  the  Penobscot,  opposite  the 
village  of  Oldtown,  known  as  Indian  Oldtown.  There  they 
have  a  considerable  village,  and  live  in  comfortable  houses, 
with  a  church  and  a  resident  priest;  for  they  have  adhered  to 
the  Catholic  faith  taught  their  ancestors  by  the  French  priests 
of  Canada.  They  have  attained  to  some  degree  of  civilization, 
cultivate  the  soil  to  some  extent,  the  women  engaging  iu  the 
aboriginal  industry  of  basket-making,  while  the  young  men  find 
employment  in  river-driving  and  other  pursuits.  They  retain 
something  of  their  tribal  relation,  annually  electing  a  governor 
and  lieutenant-governor,  and  they  send  delegates  to  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State.  There  have  been  set  apart  to  them  certain 
islands  in  the  Penobscot,  and  the  State  pays  them  annuities 
and  appoints  agentj  to  look  after  their  welfare.  They  do  not 
seem  to  be  either  increasing  or  diminishing  to  any  great  extent. 
There  is  French  blood  in  the  veins  of  many  of  them,  thus 
uniting  in  themselves  the  two  races  wjiose  raids  upon  tiie  early 
settlers  were  the  cause  of  so  much  misery  to  all  parties. 

These  tribes  belong  to  the  Abenaki  branch  of  the  Algonquin 
family  of  Indians,  which  ranged  from  Labrador  to  the  far 
South.  Tliey  possessed  in  common  the  traditions  of  a  grand 
mythology,  some  fragments  of  which  have  been  gathered  by 
Charles  G.  Leland  from  the  lips  of  aged  members  of  the  Passa- 
maquoddy  and  Penobscot  tribes,  and  published  in  his  work  on 
"  The  Algonquin  Legends  of  New  England."  These  legends 
have  the  form  of  poems  and  fairy  tales,  and  display  much 
imaginative  power.  They  have  come  down  as  traditions  from 
ancient  times,  and  though  much  of  their  lore  is  lost,  much  yet 
remains  in  the  memories  of  the  older  members  or  the  tribes. 
Mr.  Leland  has  done  good  service  iu  rescuing  from  oblivion 


THE  BISTORT  OF  MAINE. 


637 


these  fragments  of  an  ancie:  b  mythology,  which  show  the 
native  tribes  of  Maine  to  have  possessed  a  literature  of  unsus- 
pected richness;  and  he  well  remarks  that  "when  the  last 
Indian  shall  be  in  his  grave,  those  who  come  after  us  will  ask 
in  wonder,  why  we  had  no  curiosity  as  to  the  romance  of  our 
country,  and  so  much  as  to  that  of  every  other  land  on  earth." 
When  the  last  Indian  shall  have  departed,  every  scrap  of  in- 
formation relative  to  them  will  be  eagerly  investigated. 

January  1st,  1892,  the  Penobscot  tribe  numbered  three  hun- 
dred and  eighty-six,  an  increase  of  nine  over  1890,  the  first 
time  in  a  score  of  years  that  the  yearly  enumeration  has  not 
shown  a  decrease  from  the  preceding  year. 


Ill 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


MORALS   AND   RELIGION. 

Morals  of  Early  Settlers  —  Order  Introduced  by  Massachusetts  —  Intempe* 
ance— Washingtonian  Movement  —  Prohibition  of  Liquor  Traffic  — Riot 
in  Portland  —  Repeal  of  the  Law  —  Re-enacted  in  1858  — Sustained  by  the 
People  —  Prohibition  put  into  the  Constitution  —  Good  Results  of  the 
Law  —  Maine  not  Settled  Through  Religious  Impulse  —  Catholics  and 
Episcopalians  Failed  to  Obtain  a  Controlling  Foothold— Puritan  Worshir 
Introduced  by  Massachusetts  —  The  Standing  Order  —  Struggles  of  Other 
Denominations  to  Escape  from  Taxation  — All  Placed  on  an  Equality  by 
the  Constitution  of  1820  — Religious  Denominations  in  the  State. 

THE  early  settlers  of  Maine  were  of  good  English  stock. 
Among  them  were  men  of  character  and  ability  who 
sought  to  lay  deep  the  foundations  of  an  orderly  state  of  society. 
But  the  misfortune  of  the  province  was  that  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  first  century  of  its  existence  it  lacked  a  stable  form  of 
government.  The  multiplication  of  grants,  often  overlapping 
each  other,  brought  about  disputes  as  to  jurisdiction,  and 
forms  of  government  were  set  up  only  to  be  quickly  over- 
thrown. The  proprietors  of  the  soil  did  not  reside  upon  their 
domain,  and  their  attempts  to  set  up  the  complicated  machin- 
ery of  a  feudal  state  of  society  utterly  failed.  Left  to  their 
own  devices,  with  only  spasmodic  attempts  to  establish  courts 
for  the  trial  of  offenders,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  inhabi- 
tants fell  into  a  state  of  disorder,  or  that  morals  were  at  a  low 
ebb.  Little  provision  was  made  for  the  establishment  of  the 
institutions  of  religion,  and  none  whatever  for  the  education 
of  the  rising  generation.  Wearied  with  thrf  strife  of  con- 
tending grantors,  and  finding  protection  from  the  savage  foe 
only  from  Massachusetts,  the  settlers,  though  at  first  resisting, 
were  glad  in  the  end  to  accept  the  jurisdiction  of  that  colony. 
With  it  ori,:ne  a  stable  and  orderly  form  of  government ;  with  it 
came  schools  and  churches,  and  in  the  end  an  improved  state  of 
morals.  Th.p.  disorderly  element  was  brought  under  eoutrol, 
and  Puritan  institutions  gave  a  new  tone  to  society. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MATyg.  63{> 

In  1677  Massacliusetts  purchased  of  the  heirs  of  Sir  Ferdi- 
nando  Gorges  his  grant  of  the  territory  extendi.ig  from  the 
Fisciita(iua  to  the  Kennebec,  but  it  was  not  until  1716  that  she 
came  into  possession  of  the  whole  territory  now  included  in 
the  State  of  iMame.     The  province  was  then  for  the  first  tirao 
united  under  one  form  of  government.     A  new  order  of  society 
arose.     The  inhabitants  were  freetl  from  the  vexatious  exac- 
tions  of  the  feudal  system.      Towns  were  organized  distinct 
from  the  feudal  boroughs  of  the  original  proprietors.     For  a 
century  following  order  reigned  under  the  rule  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  few  offences  were  committed  against  the  welfare  of 
society.    Capital  crimes  were  rare,  and  were  promptly  punished. 
If  of  late  years  crimes  of  this  character  have  increased  in  a 
greater  ratio  to  the  number  of  inhabitants,  the  fact  is  largelv 
due  to  the  emigration  from  the  State  of  a  vast  number  of  the 
better  class  of  its  people,  'eaving  the  disorderly  element  in 
undue  proportion  to  the  whole  number  of  inhabitants. 

As  early  as  1835,  a  movement  was  begun  for  the  establish^ 
ment  of  humane  and  reformatory  institutions,  resulting  in  the 
erection  of  an  asylum  for  the  insane  at  Augusta,  where  the 
unfortunates  who  had  formerly  been  left  to  wander  at  large  or 
when  violent,  were  confined  in  almshouses,  were  gathered  and 
subjected  to  curative  influences.    The  buildings  have  been  twice 
enlarged  and  more  room  is  still  needed.    The  number  of  inmates 
111  1892  was  eight  hundred  and  fifty;  four  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  men  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  women.    Statistics 
showed,  however,  that  the  luunber  of  insane  in  the  State,  in 
proportion  to  population,  was  less  than  in  any  of  the  other  New 
England  States.    A  Reform  School  for  boys  was  established 
m  Cape  Elizabeth  about  1850,  which  has  resulted  iu  saving 
many  neglected  boys  from   vicious   courses.     The  number  of 
inmates,  December  1,  .1891,  was  ninety-three,  and  the  whole 
number  received  into  the  institution  since  it  was  opened  is 
one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty-three.     In  1872  an  In- 
dustrial  School  for  Girls  was  opened  in  Hallowell,  which  has 
done  a  humane  work  in  training  for  usefulness  young  girls  who 
would  otherwise  have  gone  astray.     The  number  of  inmates, 
December  1,1801.  was  sixty-five;  whole  number  since  opened 
three  hundred  and  forty-three.     The  MainP  Gpn^^r,,!  Mo.pital 
was  opened  in  Portland,  1874,  completed,  1892,  has  a  nurabJr  of 
free  beds,  and  affords  the  best  surgical  and  medical  treatment. 


£40 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINS. 


One  prolific  source  of  vice  and  crime  existed  from  the  earliest 
times  in  the  drinking  habits  of  the  people.  During  the  colonial 
period  rum  was  the  common  beverage,  often  taken  hot  in  the 
form  of  flip.  As  other  spirituous  liquors  were  introduced  they 
were  indulged  in  on  all  occasions;  at  marriages  and  at  funerals, 
at  all  social  gatherings,  and  on  every  public  occasion.  They 
formed  a  large  part  of  the  stock  of  every  grocer,  and  of  every 
country  store,  and  every  tavern  had  its  bar-room  where  gathered 
All  the  idlers  and  tipplers  of  the  neighborhood.  A  general 
prevalence  of  intemperance,  with  all  its  numerous  train  of 
«vils,  was  the  result.  Every  town  had  its  share  of  drunkards 
•who  neglected  their  farms,  abused  their  families,  and  were 
ultimately  reduced  to  poverty.  On  every  holiday  the  streets 
•were  filled  with  reeling  men,  and  drunken  rows  made  the  night 
hideous.  The  evil  was  confined  to  no  class  of  society.  The 
high  as  well  as  the  low,  the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  fell  victims 
to  the  insidious  habit,  and  the  brightest  and  most  promising 
young  men  of  the  community  were  destroyed,  body  and  soul, 
by  it.  Vice  and  crime  were  promoted  by  it,  and  a  general 
•demoralization  fell  upon  society. 

The  few  sober  men  remaining  saw  the  need  of  reform,  and  in 
the  early  part  of  the  present  century  societies  for  the  suppres- 
sion of  intemperance  were  formed.  But  they  did  not  advocate 
total  abstinence,  and  therefore  accomplished  but  little  good. 
Moderation  in  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  was  thought  to  be 
the  safe  rule,  and  the  toast  was,  "here's  to  use  and  not  abuse." 
But  the  abuse  grew  with  the  use,  and  at  last,  in  1833,  the 
Massachusetts  Society  took  its  stand  upon  a  pledge  of  total 
abstinence. 

Relief  from  the  evil  came  at  last  from  the  victims  of  it.  The 
•drunkards  themselves  were  awakened  to  a  sense  of  their  condi- 
tion, and  in  1840,  the  Washingtonian  movement,  originating 
among  a  number  of  hard  drinkers  in  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
swept  over  the  land  like  a  purifying  flood.  The  pathos  of 
John  H.  W.  Hawkins  and  the  dramatic  eloquence  of  John  B. 
Gough  carried  all  before  them.  The}'^  pictured  the  evils  they 
had  themselves  endured,  and  their  appeals  came  home  to  the 
bosom  of  every  intemperate  man. 

In  Maine  the  movement  found  a  ready  reception.  "Experi- 
ence "  meetings  were  everywhere  held,  the  pleilge  of  total  absti- 
nence was  offered  and  taken  by  multitudes,  and  Washingtonian 


(1 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


641 


Societies  were  formed  in  every  village  and  hamlet.  Thousands 
were  turned  to  a  sober  life,  and  a  general  reformation  took 
place  in  the  habits  of  society.  Decanters  became  a  drug  in 
the  market,  no  longer  finding  sale,  and  the  intoxicating  cup 
was  banished  from  social  gatherings. 

Temperance  organizations  aprang  up,  and  everywhere  flour- 
ished. "The  Sons  of  Temperance,"  organized  in  1842,  had  a 
large  membership  in  Maine,  as  did  also  tlie  Independent  Order 
of  Rechabites.  The  Cadets  of  Temperance  followed  in  1845, 
the  Temperance  Watchmen  in  1849,  and  later  the  Good 
Templars,  and  the  Reform  Clubs. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  Washingtonian  movement  'there  had 
been  a  pretence  of  regulating  by  license  the  traffic  in  intoxicat- 
ing liquors,  but  the  sale  was  practically  free.  As  the  reform 
went  on  respectable  dealers  gave  up  the  sale  of  liquors,  but  not 
a  few  persisted  in  the  traffic,  and  even  endeavored  to  entice 
back  their  former  customers.  This  led  to  remonstrance,  and 
the  application  of  that  moral  suasion  which  was  the  distinctive 
feature  of  the  Washingtonian  movement.  But  these  men  were 
impervious  to  appeal,  and  continued  the  sale  to  the  destruction 
of  many  reformed  men.  Some  of  the  reformers  now  saw  the 
necessity  of  restraining  the  traffic  by  law,  while  others  were 
reluctant  to  resort  to  what  they  considered  "force  measures." 
This  led  to  a  temporary  division  in  the  ranks  of  the  temperance 
men,  but  the  necessity  of  the  case  in  the  end  united  all  in  a 
demand  for  the  protection  of  law,  as  a  hold-fast  for  that  which 
had  been  gained.  The  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic  had 
been  advocated  as  early  as  1837,  by  Gen.  James  Appleton 
of  Portland,  and  in  1844  and  1845  the  Legislature  was  peti- 
tioned for  the  enactment  of  a  prohibitory  law,  but  the  prayer 
was  not  granted  until  1846,  when  a  law  was  enacted  prohibit- 
ing the  sale  of  alcoholic  liquors,  except  for  medicinal  and 
mechanical  purposes.  This  was  a  new  feature  in  legislation, 
the  beginning  of  the  prohibition  movement  which  has  since 
made  "the  Maine  Law"  famous.  But  the  teeth  of  the  law 
were  not  sharp  enough ;  its  penalties  did  not  close  tlie  drain 
shops.  The  movement,  however,  was  onward.  The  peii[)le 
had  been  enlightened,  as  never  before,  as  to  the  evils  of  indul- 


i\j     itv^,-r 


the  traffic  in  them.     The  Si 


ty 


Court  of  the  United  States 


)upreme 
decided  that  prohibition  was  constitutional,  and  in   1851   the 


U2 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


temperance  men  in  the  Legislature  were  strong  enough  to  enact 
the  first  effective  prohibitory  law,  anil  it  was  signed  by  Gov- 
ernor Hubbard.  Ho  was  a  physician  and  knew  what  were  the 
effects  upon  the  system  of  an  indulgence  in  strong  drinks.  The 
framing  of  the  kw  was  procured  by  Neal  Dow  of  Porthuid, 
and  he  both  at  home  and  abroarl,  became  its  zealous  advocatJ 
and  defender,  his  name  being  indissolubly  associated  with  tl)o 
prohibitive  principle. 

The  law  at  once  put  a  clieck  upon  the  sale  of  intoxicating 
liquors;  the  dram  shops  were  closed.  But  there  was  strong 
opposition  to  its  enforcement,  and  it  split  the  Democratic 
]>arty,  which  had  re-nominated  Governor  Hubbard.  Undur 
the  majority  law  he  failed  of  an  election  by  the  people,  and  the 
Legislature  made  choice  of  William  G.  Crosby,  a  Whig. 

The  sale  of  liquors  now  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  disreputable 
class  of  men,  who  resorted  to  evasions  of  the  law,  necessitating 
amendments  in  1853  and  in  1855.     One  feature  of  it  was  a 
j)rovision  allowing  the  establishment  of  city  or  town  agencies 
for  the  sale  of  liquors  for  medicinal  and  mechanical  purposes. 
Under  this  provision,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  Neal  Dow,  who 
had  now  become  mayor  of  the  city  of  Portland,  as  chairman  of 
u  committee  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  for  the  pur- 
pose,  purchased  a  quantity  of  liquors  and  had  them  invoiced  to 
"  The  City  Agency  of  Portland,"  which  invoice  was  accepted 
l)y  the  aldermen.     The  liquors  were  stored  in  the  basement  of 
City  Hall,  in  Market  Square,  where  the  Agency  was   to  be 
opened.     The  opponents  of  the  law,  and  the  personal  enemies 
of  Dow,  made  such  by  his  zealous  denunciation  of  dram-selling, 
and  all  who  supported  it,  seized  the  occasion  to  catch  him  on 
the  hip  by  circulating  a  statement  that  he  had  engaged  in  the 
liquor  business  himself,  in  violation  of  the  law  of  the  State. 
Inflammatory  articles  appeared  in  the  press,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined to  seize  the  liquors  as  being  in  his  possession.     To  pre- 
vent this  the  aldermen  met  to  transfer  the  liquors  to  the  city  as 
had  been  intended,  but  before  this  could  be  accomplished,  a 
warrant  was  put  into  the  hands  of  Deputy  Marshal  Ring,  who 
Ainder  it   took  possession  of  the  liquors,  but  did  not  remove 
them  from  the  building,  much  to  the  disappointment  of  a  crowd 
■which  had  gathered  about  it. 

These  proceedings  caused  much  excitement  tliroughout  the 
oity,  and  in  the  evening  — June  2,  1855  — a  crowd  gathered 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MA  WE. 


648 


about  the  building,  some  of  whom  had  come  with  the  evident 
intention  of  destroying  the  liquo'rs,  while  others  were  there 
only  ns  lookers-on,  though  mostly  sympathizing  with  the  moD. 
The  city  marshal,  with  six  or  eight  of  the  police,  armed  with 
pistols,  entered  the  rooin  wiiere  the  liquors  were  stored.  Tlie 
mob  began  by  throwing  stones  against  the  doors  and  windows. 
The  marshal  warned  them  to  desist  upon  peril  of  tlieir  lives. 
They  continued  tlieir  assaults,  and  were  ordered  to  disperse  by 
the  sheriff  of  the  county,  and  also  by  the  mayor.  The  riot  act 
was  read,  and  several  arrests  were  made  of  persons  in  tlio 
crowd,  some  of  whom  were  rescued  by  the  mob,  which  now 
became  more  determined,  and  threw  a  great  number  of  stones, 
and  also  discharged  a  pistol  or  musket  at  tlie  police. 

A  ring-leadek-  now  appeared,  who  denounced  the  police  as 
cowards  who  dared  not  fire,  harangued  the  mob,  and  led  them 
in  a  violent  rush  for  the  door,  which,  however,  proved  too 
strong  for  them.  The  police  now  fired  over  the  heads  of  the 
mob,  whicli  checked  them  for  a  moment,  but  they  soon  rallied 
again.  By  this  time  the  militia  had  been  called  out,  and  part 
of  the  company  of  Light  Guards  took  a  position  in  front  of 
the  door,  when  the  mob  began  to  pelt  them  with  stones,  and 
several  of  the  soldiers  were  severely  injured.  An  order  to  fire 
was  not  executed,  and  the  company  finally  returned  to  their 
armory.  An  alarm  of  fire  was  raised  with  a  view  of  diverting 
the  rioters,  but  it  only  resulted  in  increasing  the  crowd  about 
the  building. 

The  Rifle  Guards  were  now  called  upon,  and  with  Mayor 
Dow  and  Aldermen  Carleton  and  Brooks  (the  liquor  committee 
appointed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen),  at  their  head,  ma-ched 
into  the  room,  through  a  door  opposite  to  that  jvhich  the  mob 
was  assaulting.  Orders  were  given  to  fire  through  the  door  ia 
squads  of  four.  It  was  executed,  and  John  Robbins  of  Deer 
Isle,  second  mate  of  a  vessel  in  the  harbor,  who  at  the  moment 
was  making  an  assault  upon  the  door,  was  killed,  and  ten  or 
twelve  persons  were  wounded.  The  mob  now  dispersed,  and 
the  authorities  were  left  in  quiet  possession  of  the  room. 

Great  excitement  ensued  throughout  the  community.  Mayor 
Dow  was  severely  censured  for  ordering  the  militia  to  fire  upon 
the  mob.  A  public  meeting  was  held  at  which  his  action 
was  denounced,  and  a  resolution  was  passed  requesting  him  to 
resign  his  office.     An  inquest  on  the  body  of  Robbins  was  held. 


644 


Tim  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  jury  in  their  verdict  declaring  that  he  was  "shot  through 
th.  body,  by  some  jjersoii  unknown  to  the  inquest,  acting  under 
the  authority  and  order  of  the  mayor  and  aldermen  of  Port- 
land, in  defence  of  the  city  property  from  the  ravages  of  a' 
excited  niol),  unlawfully  congregated  for  that  purpose  near  tht 
City  Hall,  of  which  he,  the  said  John  Uobbins,  was  proved  to 
be  one."  The  prosecution  of  Mayor  Dow  for  alleged  violation 
of  the  liquor  law  was  shown  to  be  evidently  malicious,  and  ho 
was  acquitted.  At  his  suggestion  a  committee  of  citizens  wa» 
appointed  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen  to  investigate  the  matter, 
whic'.  committee  sustained  his  action.  On  the  other  hand,  a 
committee  appointed  at  the  meeting  of  citizens  called  for  a 
second  incjuest,  the  jury  being  composed  of  citizeijs  well  known 
to  be  oppose<l  to  Mr.  Dow.  Their  verdict  was  "  that  the  said 
John  Robbins  came  to  his  death  by  and  through  the  agency  of 
the  sivld  Neal  Dow,  mayor  of  the  city  of  Portland,  in  the 
manner  and  by  the  means  aforesaid,  and  in  consequence  of  the 
rash  and  illegal  order  to  fire,  given  as  aforesaid,  by  the  said 
Neal  Dow,  to  the  said  military  company  called  the  Rifle  Guards, 
and  that  the  homicide  of  the  said  John  Robbins,  by  the  said 
Neal  Dow,  in  the  manner  and  by  the  means  aforesaid,  was  and 
is  without  any  legal  justification  or  excuse." 

The  killing  oi  Robbins  was  seized  upon  as  party  capital  by 
the  opponents  of  the  law,  and  in  the  ensuing  State  election  a 
saajority  of  members  opposed  to  prohibition  was  elected  to  the 
Legislature,  and  the  prohibitory  law  was  repealed,  and  a  license 
law,  intended  to  be  stringent,  was  substituted.  But  it  did  not 
restrain  the  traffic,  and  under  it  liquors  were  freely  sold.  The 
friends  of  prohibition  rallied,  and  in  1857  elected  a  Legislature 
which  in  March  of  the  following  year  enacted  a  prohibitory 
law,  with  provision  that  it  should  be  submitted  to  the  people. 
It  was  approved  by  a  large  majority,  and  went  into  effect  July 
15,  1858.  During  the  thirty  years  that  have  since  elapsed,  it 
has  been  many  times  amended  and  strengthened  to  meet  the 
evasions  practiced  by  those  who  for  gain  engaged  in  the  sur- 
reptitious sale  of  liquors.  The  relation  which  political  parties 
have  sustained  to  it  has  been  governed  by  public  opinion.  The 
first  effective  prohibitory  law  was  signed  by  a  Democratic 
governor  of  the  State.  It  was  re-enacted  in  1857  by  a  Repub- 
lican Legislature.  The  Deraocratic  party,  though  compri.siug 
many  opponents  of  the  law,  has  since  refrained  from  taking 


f 

i 


THE  maroRY  of  maine. 


546 


h«f  T,f  if'^f  "'"■'•  °^»."  "'"""•^  "'  """"'■  "'»  prohibitory  Ia«r 

town,  the  liquor  traffic  Im^CXtn    Uo  hoi'  l''  7    ""'^" 
and  t»,ptatl„„  largely  ro.noved  C  ti^p^ri  "ot-':  eToZ- 
The  salo  l,a,  not  been  entirely  suppressed,  but  the      are  1 
plendul  bar-room,  in  Maine.    In  the  country  towns  as  a  ru  e 
hquors  are  no  longer  sold,  and  drunkenness  is  .""e     In    f^L 

Unhke  some  of  the  other  colonies,  Maine  was  not  settled 
to  obfai,;'  a   "°"  '""""r-    ^''"  "'"'y  »"-'"»  of  ^«  F      ch 

ouuii^  up,  ^r.  ttie  mouth  of  the  Kennebec    in  ifio?  +1,    r    i. 
Protestant  worshin  nn,i  «„      i  •       ,   ""*^"^'''  "^  lo^T,  the  first 

a,y.portionarteKl7„:.^r„;;t!!:.?;^  T1^?-  ^ 
01  iingland  yet  failed  to  establish  itself  'm  MaC"  T^  "^"T^ 
b.  wbich  Gorges  held  the  territory  fl'thf Ca^I  ^o" t 


II 


646 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Kennebec,  required  its  establishment,  and  made  the  proprietor 
the  patron  of  the  church.  He  was  to  set  up  its  ecclesiastical 
government,  the  city  charter  of  Gorgeana  plainly  foreshadow- 
ing the  arrival  of  a  bishop  of  Maine;  but  he  never  came. 
The  truth  is,  the  adventurers  who  sought  their  fortunes  by  tha 
fisheries,  fur  traffic,  and  lumbering  of  the  new  country  were 
not  very  strong  in  their  adherence  to  the  English  Church. 
They  were  less  eager  to  establish  church  organizations,  than  to 
enrich  themselves  by  the  various  industrial  enterprises  open  to 
tiiem.  The  first  Episcopal  Church  was  established  by  the  Rev. 
Richard  Gibson,  at  Saco,  as  early  as  1637.  The  Rev.  Robert 
Jordan,  introduced  -by  Trelawney  at  Cape  Elizabeth,  main- 
tained the  service  of  the  Church  of  England  for  a  time,  not 
v/ithout  some  persecution  by  the  Puritans,  but  was  more  suc- 
eessful  in  getting  possession  of  a  great  estate,  which  his  numer- 
ous descendants  enjoy  to  this  day,  than  in  establishing  a  form 
of  worship.  Some  dissatisfaction  at  the  settlement  of  Mr. 
Deane  as  the  colleague  of  Mr.  Smith,  at  Falmouth,  led  to  the 
formation  of  an  Episcopal  Church,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Wiswell.  Biit  he  was  a  Tory,  and  fled  the  country  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  Revolution.  So  did  the  Rev.  Jacob  Bailey, 
sent  as  a  missionary  into  Maine  by  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel.  He  suffered  some  political  persecution 
because  of  his  adherence  to  the  mother  country,  and  was  fain 
to  betake  himself  to  Nova  Scotia,  where  Mr.  Wiswell  ulti- 
mately found  an  abiding  place.  The  Episcopal  Church  thus 
became  discountenanced  through  the  Tory  proclivities  of  its 
ministers. 

The  proprietors  of  grants,  holding  them  under  the  condition 
of  settling  the  lands  given  them,  introduced  various  bodies  of 
immigrants  into  Maine,  who  brought  their  religions  with  them. 
Thus  Col.  David  Dunbar,  who  had  a  grant  of  the  Province  of 
Sagadahoc,  introduced  a  body  of  Scotch-Irish  from  the  north 
of  Ireland,  who  were  Presbyterian  in  religion.  They  established 
aPresbytery  which  included  ten  churches,  but  difficulties  arose 
which  disturbed  their  harmony,  and  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Presbytery  was  held  at  Gray,  in  1791.  The  churches  ultimately 
tecame  Congregational  in  form.  Samuel  Waldo  brought  from 
Germany  many  families  of  the  Lutheran  sect,  who  in  1739 
founded  the  town  of  Waldoboro.  They  h;id  to  contend  with 
many  difficulties.  The  rigors  of  the  climate,  and  the  hard- 
ships of  a  new  settlement  killed  many;  the  Indians  fell  upon 


I ' 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


54? 


them,  and  isolation  from  others  of  their  own  faith  gradually  led 
them  to  find  a  home  in  the  churches  erected  hy  the  Puritanic 
settlers. 

The  church  ultimately  destined  to  become  dominant  in  Maine 
was  that  of  the  Puritans  of  Massachusetts.     They  were  com- 
pelled from  the  first  to  have  an  eyo  on  this  province.     They 
were  called  upon  to  compose  the  quarrels  of  the  contending 
proprietors,  and  to  protect  the  settlers  from  the  raids  of  the 
savages.      Their   people   pushed  into  this  frontier  land,  and 
made  settlements  here.     They  found  it  a  region  without  schools 
or  churches,  and  in  the  end  they  set  up  both.     On  coming  into 
possession  of  the  province  they  introduced  their  peculiar  sys- 
tem of  maintaining  public  worship  after  the  Congregational 
plan.     The  ideal  church  was  to  be  universal  and  supported  by 
the  entire  community.      The  theocracy  of  Massachusetts   re- 
quired a  unity  of  religious  sentiment  which  was  not  to  be  found 
in  Maine.     The  system  therefore  met  with  no  little  opposition, 
and  there  was  much  friction  in  its  operation.    Still  it  was  not 
unsuccessful  in  the  end,  nor  without  beneficial  results  on  the 
whole.     It  introduced  the  observances  of  religion  into  a  com- 
munity where  before  litth  or  none  existed;  gave  unity  to  soci- 
ety, and  compelled  attention  to  those  institutions  — the  church 
and  the  school  — without  which  no  civilized  community  can 
exist.     Whereas  the  feeble  denominations  which  had  attempted 
to  set  up  worship  had  been  afflicted  by  incompetent  or  unworthy 
ministers,  the  Puritans  introduced  a  learned  clergy,  men  who 
I'ad  been  educated  at  Harvard,  and  were  conscientiously  de- 
voted to  the  work  of  the  Christian  ministry.     They  were  men 
of  high  character,  and  as  they  appeared  in  the  pulpit  in  their 
black  gowns   and   flowing   wigs,   they   had   an    awe-inspiring 
dignity.     During  their  long  pastorates  they  became  standards 
in  the  community,  around  whom  clustered  all  the  moral  and 
religious  influences  which  strengthen  and  preserve  the  family 
and  the  State.     They  became  known  as  "  The  Standing  Order," 
not  less  because  they  stood  for  all  the  preservative  elements  of 
society,  than  because  their  order  was  recognized  by  law.     Such 
men  were  Parson  Smith  of  Falmouth,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coffin 
of  Buxton,  who  during  their  pastorates,  the  one  of  over  sixty 
aud  the  other  of  over  fifty  years,  were  the  central  and  support- 
'"e  "5"»^'T  "I  t."c  v;uiii!ijuim,ics  in  wnicn  they  dweifc. 

The  .lystem  introduced  into  Maine  by  the  Puritans  of  Massa- 
chusetts compelled  each  town  of  a  certain  number  of  inhabi- 


548 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


tants,  under  penalty  of  a  fine,  to  maintain  a  minister  of  the 
gospel,  and  a  public  school.  Proprietors  of  townships  were 
obliged  to  set  aside  certain  lots  for  the  support  of  the  ministry. 
At  first  none  but  church  members  could  be  voters.  Non- 
attendance  at  church  subjected  the  delinquent  to  a  fine,  and 
as  those  who  attended  were  always  ready  to  complain  of  those 
who  did  not,  it  was  cheaper  to  go  to  meeting  than  to  stay  at 
home.  As  the  parish  limits  included  the  whole  town,  many 
were  obliged  to  travel  six  or  seven  miles  to  meeting.  On© 
woman  in  Wells  was  indicted  for  not  attending  meeting  on  the 
Sabbath,  though  at  that  time  women  were  not  admitted  to  the 
sacrament. 

The  minister  was  the  minister  of  the  town  rather  than  of 
a  church,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  taxed  for 
bis  support.  The  town  minister  was  not  settled,  but  hired  tem- 
porarily. In  one  instance  the  town  supported  a  minister  for 
fifty  years  before  a  church  was  organized.  At  first  towns 
employed  ministers,  not  so  much  because  they  felt  the  need  of 
religious  instruction,  as  to  escape  paying  a  fine  for  non-compli- 
ance with  the  law.  But  with  the  minister  came  the  habit  of 
attending  meeting  on  Sunday,  and  the  church  sprang  from  the 
seed  planted  by  compulsion.  In  some  instances,  the  town  and 
the  church  disagreed  as  to  the  choice  of  a  minister,  which  led 
to  none  being  chosen  until  complaint  was  made  to  the  court. 
The  minister,  being  chosen  in  town  meeting,  was  subject  to  the 
criticism  of  tho  voters,  and  they  did  not  refrain  from  expressing 
their  opinion  of  him.  In  North  Yarmouth  an  article  in  the 
warrant  for  town  meeting  read,  "  Is  the  town  easy  or  uneasy 
under  the  preaching  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  ?  "  The  record  is, 
•*  Voted^  uneasy.     Adjourned." 

With  the  minister  came  the  necessity  of  building  a  merf*  »g. 
house.  As  all  were  to  be  taxed  for  its  cost,  and  its  8ii;o  involved 
questions  of  convenience  in  attendance,  the  matter  led  to  con- 
troversies which  were  not  conducive  to  the  grow>J;  of  the 
Christian  virtues.  In  Wells  the  people  were  caliec  I  p, ether 
forty-seven  times  to  act  upon  the  subject,  and  tv  niy-sev-a 
years  elapsed  before  the  meeting-house  was  actually  complete  !.i 
In  Waterford  the  struggle  over  the  meeting-j^,  luse  delayed  the 
incorporation  of  the  town  two  years,  and  when  af  last  a  com- 
promise was  effected,  McWain,  the  first  settler,  wa?  so  ange:ed 
by  the  location  chosen  that  he  would  not  enter  tiie  meeting- 

1  Bourne's  History  of  Wells  ami  Kennobunk. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


549 


house  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  even  when  the  town 
meetings  were  held  in  it.  At  the  raising  of  the  walls  there  was 
always  a  liberal  allowance  of  rum,  and  in  Waterford  the  com- 
pany assembled  passed  a  vote  that  "  Whoever  gets  drunk  today 
must  oome  to-morrow  and  dig  a  stump."  Tradition  adds  that 
four  or  five  came  the  next  morning.  ^ 

The  house  completed,  the  meeting  was  seated  according  to 
rank.  There  being  many  aristocratic  distinctions  in  society  in 
those  days,  the  seating  of  the  house  caused  many  heart-burn- 
ings. To  avoid  this  it  was  voted,  in  some  instances,  to  seat  the 
house  by  age.  Every  one,  under  penalty  of  a  fi^  ?,  was  com- 
pelled to  attend  the  meeting  at  least  once  in  three  months. 

At  first,  though  there  was  much  indifference,  lo  denomina- 
tional division  had  sprung  up.  The  Episcopaliaas  did  uou 
sustain  themselves  after  the  pi'ovince  vras  adopted  by  Massa- 
chusetts. The  Baptists  were  the  first  to  intrude,  making  their 
appearance  at  Kittery  in  1681.  Persecuted  by  the  Puritans, 
they  removed  to  South  Carolina,  and  nothing  more  is  heard  of 
this  sect  in  Maine  for  eighty -three  years.  Meantime,  frequent 
fasts  were  held  on  account  of  the  spread  of  Quakerism,  but 
the  case  of  the  Baptists  is  the  only  instance  of  persecution  in 
Maine  on  account  of  religion. 

As  new  sects  snrang  up  there  was  much  opposition  to  the 
payment  of  the  ministerial  tax.     The  Quakers  were  the  first  to 
move  in  the  strife  that  followed  before  it  was  abolished.     They 
were  Boon  joined  by  the  Baptists,  and  the  question  was  carried 
into  town  meeting.     Articles  were  inserted  in  the  warrant  to 
test  the  question  whether  these  sects  should  be  excused  from 
paying  their  proportion  ot  the  reg'J^ar  ministerial  tax.     They 
were  repeatedly  voted  down.     Then  attempts  were  made  to 
have  the  money  raised  by  the  towi    ibr  the  support  of    ")e  gos- 
pel, divided  among  tie  diuere  :      enominaticna  in  proportion  to 
their  relative  numbers,  but  this,  too,  was  refused.     Still  the 
opposition  grew,  and  in  the  process  of  time  was  re-inforced  by 
the  Methodists  and  the  Univs-iialists.     The  rystriction  to  the 
"Standing  Oicter"  was  ultimately  omitted  from  land  reserva- 
tions for  church  purposes,  and  the  first  settled  minister  was 
made  the  beneficiary.      The  town  of  Paris  being  settled  by 
B.'^tists,  their  ministsr,  uie  Rev.  James  Hoopei',  was  elected 
minister  of  fhe  *^<>\vrj   and  he  received  the  benefit  of  the  lota 
set  off  for  the  support,  of  the  nvaistry. 

*  Hfitory  of  W;  *,eiford. 


550 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


In  New  Gloucester  protests  were  r»ade  againgt  payment  of 
tax  for  the  support  of  the  "  Standing  Order,"  and  one  of  the 
protestants  refusing  to  pay,  his  cow  was   seized  and  sold  to 
satisfy  the  demand.     Opposition  increasing,  to  prevent  further 
disputes  the  town  voted  to  set  off  all  who  were  dissatisfied, 
representing  all  shades  of  belief.     This  was  the  first  decisive 
step  toward  toleration,  but  the  victory  was  incomplete,  for  by 
law,  towns  were  still  com^)elled  to  maintain  a  public  religious 
teacher  of  the  Orthodox  faith.     At  last,  in  1786,  by  the  joint 
strength  of  the  Baptists  and  Universalists,  a  vote  of  the  town 
was  carried  by  two  majority,  to  absolve  the  former  from  obliga- 
tion to  support  the  town  minister.     But  at  the  same  meeting 
the  Baptists  ungenerously  turned  against  the  Universalists  and 
refused  them  a  like  favor  by  voting  with  the  Orthodox.     The 
Universalists  were  not  absolved  from  the  tax  until  three  years 
later,  when  it  was  voted  them,  they  in  turn  voting  with  the 
Baptists  a  free  consent  of  the  town  for  the  latter's  incorpora 
tion  into  a  separate  religious  society.      The  controversy  over 
this  matter  became  so  bitter  that  the  Rev.  Samuel  Foxcroft,  the 
minister  of  the  "Standing  Order,"  advised  that  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer  be  held,  which  was  duly  observed.* 

In  Bristol  the  Methodist  ministers  brought  an  action  against 
the  town  to  recover  payment  for  their  services,  Ac  late  as 
1811  an  action  was  brought  against  that  town  for  not  providing 
properly  for  the  support  of  the  gospel.^ 

Although  this  opposition  to  the  ministerial  tax  existed,  there 
was  still  remarkable  unanimity  among  the  people  as  to  their 
religious  sentiments.  At  the  close  'of  the  Revolution  there 
were  forty-one  incorporated  towns  in  Maine,  and  there  were  in 
them  thirty-one  resident  located  ministers  of  the  Congregational 
and  Presbyterian  orders.  Other  sects  as  yet  existed  principally 
as  individuals,  thei-e  being  few  incorporated  societies  outside  of 
the  "Standing  Order."  But  the  opposing  sects  now  grew 
apace.  Methodism,  introduced  into  Maine  by  Jesse  Lee,  r .  17'Ji\ 
was  rapidlj'  spreading,  and  Baptist  societies  were  gathere  ■  in 
many  places.  Their  opposition  to  the  ministerial  tax  grew  so 
loud,  that  at  last,  in  1800,  by  act  of  the  Legislature,  the  people 
were  no  longer  bound  to  maintain  the  regular  ministry,  if  they 
chose  to  sustain  one  of  different  cliaracter,  and  actually  did  so. 
They  were  required  only  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  some 

1  The  New  Gloucester  Ccntennia:,  by  T.  H.  Haskell. 
2  Johnston's  flistorj  of  Bristol  ond  Bremen. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


55t 


religious  teacher.  Tiiia  had  a  serious  effect  on  the  Congrej^a- 
tionai  societies.  It  did  not,  liowever,  wholly  emancipate  the 
opposing  sects,  since  the  enforcement  of  the  law  still  lay  with 
the  towns,  and  it  was  necessary  to  prove  the  fact  of  organiza- 
tion, and  to  obtain  a  vote  of  the  town  enabling  the  separatists 
to  draw  the  amount  of  their  ministerial  tax  from  the  town 
treasury,  in  order  to  apply  it  to  the  purposes  of  their  owu 
society.  This  led  to  controversies.  Some  of  the  citizens  who 
wished  merely  to  be  freed  from  the  p?'  ^nt  of  the  ministerial 
tax  would  join  with  others  who  rea  /  v  hed  to  form  a  sepa- 
rate society,  and  the  town  would  ob  their  incorporation 
on  the  ground  that  "pecuniary  motives  a.. a  not  religious  prin- 
ciples influenced  the  conduct  of  the  body  of  them."  A  hetero- 
geneous class  was  undoubtedly  ready  to  join  any  movement  for 
a  new  society  in  order  to  escape  taxation,  and  it  is  probable 
that  their  subscriptions  to  the  funds  of  the  society  petitioned 
for  were  not  large.  Indeed,  there  was  a  suspicion  that  they 
would  adhere  to  the  new  society  only  long  enough  to  escape 
from  the  yoke  of  the  "Standing  Order."  To  prevent  this  a 
proviso  was  sometimes  put  in  to  the  effect  that  if  they  with- 
drew from  the  new  society  within  a  year,  they  should  be  again 
taxed,  but  this  was  seldom  more  than  a  dead  letter.  Once  free 
the  citizen  so  remained.  In  opposition  to  petitions  for  the 
incorporation  of  new  societies,  it  was  sometimes  urged  by  the 
town  that  if  all  who  asked  to  be  freed  from  taxation  had  their 
petitions  granted,  the  burden  ot  supporting  the  town  minister 
would  be  too  great  for  those  who  remained. 

These  disputes  led  to  the  passage  by  the  Legislature,  in  June, 
1811,  of  an  act  entitled  "An  act  respecting  public  worship  and 
religious  freedom,"  by  which  it  was  provided  that  every  citizen 
might  direct  the  appropriution  of  his  tax  to  the  support  of  the 
religious  teacher  of  his  choice.  This  left  public  worship  to 
depend  largely  upon  voluntary  support,  though  all  were  ex- 
pected to  support  some  society,  the  tax  still  remaining.  It  was 
feared  by  many  good  people  that  public  worship  could  not  be 
maintained  in  this  way,  and  that  the  attempt  would  result  in  its 
abandonment.  There  was  much  opposition  to  the  passage  of 
the  bill,  hard  to  be  understood  now,  when  the  I'ears  that  were 
entertained  have  proved  groundless,  and  the  beneficent  effects 
are  seen  and  admitted. 

Under  this   law,  Parson  Church   of   Bridgton  felt  it  in- 
cumbent upon  him  to  relinquish  a  portion  of  his  salary,  though 


i 


652 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


the  bill,  hard  to  be  understood  now,  when  the  fears  that  were 
entertained  have  proved  groundless,  and  the  beneficent  effects 
are  seen  and  admitted. 

Under  this  law,  Parson  Church,  of  Bridgton,  felt  it  in- 
cumbent upon  him  to  relinquish  a  portion  of  his  salary,  though 
he  thriftily  stipulated  that  in  return  he  should  be  granted  a 
vacation,  during  which  he  might  preach  elsewhere.  He  still 
remained  minister  of  the  town.  This  condition  of  things  con- 
tinued until  Maine  was  admitted  as  a  State  of  the  Union,  in 
]820,  when  by  its  constitution  it  was  provided  that  "no  sub- 
ordination nor  preference  of  any  one  sect  or  denomination  to 
another  shall  ever  be  established  by  law."  The  maintenance 
of  religious  worship  was  left  entirely  voluntary,  and  it  has  thus 
found  a  more  adequate  support  than  taxation  ever  gave  it. 

When  Maine  became  a  State  the  religious  denominations 
within  its  borders  had  increased  to  nine  —  Congregationalists, 
Methodists,  Baptists,  Universalists,  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians, 
Friends,  Catholics  and  Shakers.  All  being  now  placed  on  an 
equality  under  the  law,  sectarian  asperities  were  assuaged.  In 
some  instances,  notably  that  of  the  Fn-st  Church  in  Portland, 
the  original  Orthodox  faith  of  the  Puritan  gradually  softened 
into  the  Unitarian  belief.  The  churches  of  what  had  been  the 
"Standing  Order,"  now  known  as  Congregational,  however,. 
Btill  maintained  the  numerical  supremacy,  as  they  do  at  the 
present  day.  Working  together  in  the  common  cause  of 
Christianity,  the  institutions  of  Sunday-schools,  Bible  societies, 
missions  and  charities,  have  grown  with  the  increase  of  popula- 
tion, and  the  sound  of  the  church  bell  is  heard  all  over  the 
land. 

The  denominations  within  the  State  in  1892,  numbered  six- 
teen, standing  in  the  following  order:  Congregational,  churches, 
246;  membership,  21,817;  clergymen,  171.  Methodist  Episco- 
pal, churches,  278;  membership,  19,878;  ministers,  227.  Bap- 
tist, churches,  250 ;  membership,  19,209;  ministers,  140.  Free 
Baptist,  churches,  255;  membership,  14,214;  ministers,  182. 
Advent  Christian,  churches,  110  ;  memberslui),  5,000  ;  ministers, 
70.  Catholic,  churches,  70;  chapels,  10;  priests,  73.  Univer- 
salist,  churches,  91 ;  membership,  2,500 ;  ])reachers,  37.  Chris- 
tian, ministers,  35  ;  membership,  3,000.  Protestant  Episcopal, 
parishes  and  missions,  46;  communicants,  3,108;  clergy,  27. 
Friends,  churches,  24;  membership,  about  1,500.  Unitarian, 
churches,  21.  Church  of  God,  communicants,  about  1,500.  Dis- 
ciples, churches,  7  ;  membership,  about  500.  New  Jerusalem, 
churches,  4;  membership,  347.  Evangelical  Lutheran,  churches, 
2;  membership,  about  500.  Presbyterian,  churches,  2;  mem- 
berwhin-  about  100  ;  ministers.  2.* 

» .Maine  St  tf  Rcp-iser,  1S.)2. 


I 


I ; 


CHAPTER  XXXir. 


EDUCATION. 

No  Public  Schools  in  the  Early  History  of  the  Province  -  Introduced  bv 
Massachusetts  Under  Penalty  of  a  Fine-New  Interest  in  Education  after 
the  Revolution -Establishment  of  Academies  by  Grants  of  Land - 
Estabhshmont  of  Colleges  -  The  District  System  -  Establishment  of 
Normal  Schools  -  Schools  Graded,  and  a  System  of  Free  IIi.'h  Schools 
Introduced -Improvement  in  Schoolhouses  -  State  Supervision  of  the 
Public  Schools  -  Compulsory  Attendance  -  Parochial  Schools  -  Small 
Percentage  of  Illiteracy  in  Maine  -  Newspaper  Press  -  County  Papers  - 
Leading  Journals  -  Number  of  Periodicals  Published  in  the  State  -  Pub- 
lic Libraries. 

THE  early  settlers  of  Maine  took  little  thought  for  education. 
There  were  no  schools  until  Massachusetts  obtained  con- 
trol  of  the  province.     Her  laws  required  every  town,  under 
penalty  of  fine,  to  support  one  schoolmaster  constantly,  and 
those  containing  one  hundred  families  to  maintain  a  grammar 
school.    It  was  long  before  schools  were  established,  even  under 
these  requirements.    In  Wells  the  people  lived  fifty  years  with- 
out schools,  and  their  children  grew  up  ignorant  of  the  rudi- 
ments of  education.    It  was  not  until  1715  thatit  was  voted 
to  procure  a  schoolmaster  at  the  town's  charge,  "not  exceeding 
^620  per  annum  and  his  diate."i    Falmouth  did  not  move  in  the 
matter  until  1729,  when  the  selectmen  were  requested  to  look 
out  for  a  schoolmaster  "  to  prevent  the  town's  being  presented." 
The  people,  it  will  be  seen,  were  moved  thereto  more  by  fear  of 
being  mulcted,  than  by  regard  for  the  cause  of  education.    The 
first  schoolmaster  engaged  was  obliged  to  bring  a  suit  against 
the  town  to  secure  his  salary.     In  Scarborougli,  in  1730,  it  was 
voted  "that  there  be  a  schoolmaster  iiired  in  town  this  year 
that  can  read  and  write  well."     In  1837  it  waa  voted  that  a 
school  be  kept  all  the  year,  and  that  the  master  "  be  paid  75 
pounds  in  lumber  for  his  services. "'^ 

The  early  schools  were  all  taught  by  masters.  Some  of  them 
were  men  of  ability.  They  ranked  among  the  professional 
classes,  and  were  exempt  from  military  trainings,  and  duties 


m 


.^t«T*na'a 


•1     i-r  mi3  aii'j  tVUriiiCBUnK. 


'  Southgate's  History  of  Scarborough 


653 


654 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


of  watch  and  ward,  and  in  the  case  of  grammar  masters  they 
were  exempt  from  payment  of  taxes.  Yet  the  canse  of  educa- 
tion was  at  a  low  ebb.  The  towns  were  grudging  in  their 
appropriations,  and  public  instruction  was  eked  out  by  private 
schools. 

After  the  Revolution,  with  increasing  prosperity  came  a  spirit 
of  general  improvement,  and  a  new  interest  in  the  cause  of 
education.    The  need  of  better  opportunities  than  those  afforded 
by  the  common  schools  was  felt,  and  academies  were  endowed 
with  grants  of  wild  lands.    These  institutions  for  many  years 
did  a  good  work  in  the  cause  of  higher  education,  and  prepared 
the  way  for  a  collegiate  course.     Bowdoin  College,  which  had 
been  chartered  in  1794,  entered  its  first  class  in  1802.      The 
Baptists,  in  1813,  started  at  Waterville  "  The  Maine  Literary 
and  Theological  School,"  which  a  few  years  later  was  chartered 
as  the  second  college  in  Maine,  and  is  now  known  as  Colby 
University.     The  Maine  State  Seminary  at  Lewiston,  incorpo- 
rated in  1855,  became  Bates  College  in  1863,  so  named  in  honor 
of  Benjamin  E.  Bates  of  Boston,  its  munificent  patron.      To 
it  was  added  in  1870   a  Free  Baptist  Theological  Seminary. 
The  State  College   of  Agriculture  and   Mechanic  Arts  was 
established  at  Orono  in  1868,  and  has  done  a  good  work  in 
giving  many  young  men  of  small  means  a  technical  educatiou. 
If  it  has  nob  as  yet  turned   out  many  educated  farmers,  it  is 
because  the  farmers  themselves  have  not  been  educated  up  to 
the  point  of  seeing  the  necessity  of  education  in  the  practice 
of  agriculture. 

The  Congregationalists  established  a  theological  seminary  at 
Bangor  in  1814,  the  Methodists  a  classical  and  theological 
school  at  Readfi.eld  in  1825,  and  the  Universalists  a  collegiate 
seminary  at  Westbrook  in  1831. 

The  early  schools  were  established  on  the  district  system, 
every  town  being  divided  into  districts,  each  of  which  was  in- 
dependent in  the  management  of  its  schools,  the  town  only 
voting  a  sum  for  the  payment  of  teachers.  This  system, 
adapted  to  a  primitive  and  isolated  state  of  society,  worked 
unequally,  and  tias  retarded  th«  improvement  o:  the  schools 
and  the  school  buildings.  It  is  now  giving  way  to  town  man- 
agement, which  is  much  more  efficient  in  its  operation. 

The  teachers  were  usually  college  students  or  graduates  who 
took  this  means  of  maintaining  theiuseives  while   getting  an 


THE  hISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


66^ 


education  or  studying  a  profession.  There  was  no  professional 
class  of  teachers.  The  need  of  trained  instructors,  who  would 
make  teaching  a  profession,  was  felt,  and  a  normal  sghool  was 
established  at  Farmington,  another,  in  1867,  at  Castine,  and 
still  another  at  Gorham  in  1878.  A  training  school  for  teachers 
was  also  established  at  Madawaska,  among  the  Acadian  French 
population,  and  provision  made  for  normal  classes  in  several 
seminaries  in  the  State.  These  institutions  have  done  a  good 
work  in  turning  out  a  class  of  trained  te&chers  who  have 
accomplished  much  in  the  improvement  of  the  schools. 

The  common  schools  were  of  a  mixed  character,  including  in 
their  instruction  eveything  from  a,  b,  c,  to  the  liigher  English 
branches.     The  lirst  step  toward  improvement  was  the  grading 
of  the  schools,  and  the  opening  of  grammar  schools.      Then 
came  the  establishment  of  town  free  high  schools,  for  which  the 
State  pays  a  sum  equal  to  that  raised  by  the  town,  not  to  ex- 
ceed -f250  for  each  school.     This  system,   calculated  to  bring 
home  to  the  scliolars  of  each  town  the  benefits  enjoyed  by  those 
who  were  able  to  leave  home  to  attend  the  old  academies,  at 
first  met  with  much  opposition,  resulting  in  their  suspension  in 
1878.     They  were  re-established  in  1879,  and  have  since  been 
constantly  improving  in  character  and  efficiency.     In  1892,  228 
towns  are  supporting  free  high  schools  at  an  expense  of  $147',576, 
of  which  the  State  pays  139,521.     These  schools  are  now  per' 
manently  fixed  in  the  public  school  system  of  the  State. 

With  the  improvement  in  the  school  system  has  come  a  better 
style  of  sohoolhouses.  The  "little  red  schoolhouse  on  the  liiU" 
has  given  place  to  buildings  of  tasjteful  architecture,  with  mod- 
ern  improvements  conducive  to  the  comfort  and  health  of  the 
scholars,  and  the  refining  influence  of  neat  surroundings  is 
beginning  to  be  understood. 

The  schools  were  under  no  general  supervision  by  the  State 
until  1846,  when  a  State  Board  of  Education  was  established, 
with  provision  for  holding  teachers'  institutes  in  each  county! 
This  system  brought  about  great  improvement,  but  was  soon 
swept  away  and  folio  ,ved  by  vacillating  legislation  which  built 
up  only  to  tear  down,  and  the  schools  are  now  left  to  the 
supervision  of  a  State  Superintendent,  with  county  associations 
which  hold  meetings  for  the  discussion  of  educational  method* 
by  teachers  and  others.  The  Pedagogical  Societv  is  an  assnnia. 
tion  of  teachers  for  the  same  purpose.    The  annual  report  of 


6R6 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINS. 


the  Superintendent  for  1892  shows  the  total  number  of  aoholara 
in  the  public  schools  of  the  State,  drawing  achool  money,  to  be 
210,997.  , 

A  law  making  compulsory  the  attendance  at  some  school  of 
flvery  child  between  the  ages  of  nine  and  fifteen  years,  for  at 
least  twelve  weeks  in  each  year,  was  enacted  in  1875,  but  its 
provisions  were  not  iiforced,  and  another  law  intended  to  be 
more  effective  has  been  passed  as  a  substitute,  rihildren  em- 
ploj'cd  in  factories  are  now  required  to  attend  school  a  portion 
of  the  time,  and  this  law  is  having  the  effect  of  increasing  the 
attendance  at  schools. 

While  the  State  has  thus  been  engaged  in  providing  for  the 
education  of  its  children  on  the  New  England  plan  of  qualify- 
ing the  rising  generation  for  the  duties  of  citizenship,  a  foreign 
influence  has  been  at  work  withdrawing  children  from  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  sending  them  to  other  schools  established  in  the 
interest  of  a  religious  sect.  The  Roman  Catholic  priesthood 
have  sixteen  parochial  schools,  which,  in  1892,  were  attended 
by  six  thousand  scholars.  These  luo  withdrawn  from  the 
instruction  of  the  public  schools  and  educated  in  the  interest 
of  a  foreigh  hierarchy.  The  parochial  schools  are  attended 
chiefly  by  the  children  of  Irish  and  French  Canadian  immi- 
grants. They  constitute  a  menace  to  the  public  school  systenr 
of  the  State. 

This  system,  though  far  from  perfection,  has  resulted  in 
placing  Maine  among  the  States  showing  the  least  amount  of 
illiteracy.  By  the  census  of  1880,  of  persons  in  Maine  of  ten 
years  of  age  and  upward,  only  3.5  per  cent  were  unable  to  read, 
the  only  States  and  Territories  having  a  lower  percentage  being 
Dakota,  Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Wyoming.  Of  those  unable  to 
"write  the  percentage  was  but  4.3,  only  Iowa,  Nebraska  and 
Wyoming  showing  a  less  percentage. 

Among  the  instrumentalities  tendi  ig  to  enlighten  the  public 
mind,  the  newspaper  press  holds  an  important  position.  For 
more  than  a  century  and  a  half  there  was  no  printing  press  in 
Maine.  The  first  newspaper  was  started  in  Falmoi  di  (now 
Portland),  January  1,  1785,  by  Benjamin  Titcomb  and  Thomas 
B.  Waite.  It  was  called  the  Falmouth  Gazette  and  Weekly 
Advertiser.  The  return  of  peace  had  brought  reviving  pros- 
perity, and  Falmouth  was  rapidly  increasing  in  population. 
Still  the  times  were  hard,  and  the  people  were  poov      The  cur 


THE  mSTORY  OF  MAINE. 


557 


renoy  was  derauged,  the  roads  were  few  and  very  hud,  there 
were  no  stage  lines,  and  only  three  or  four  post-offices  in  the 
whole  district.  Falmouth  had  a  mail  from  Boston  but  once  a 
week.  In  times  like  these  it  required  courage  to  undertake  the 
establishment  of  a  newspaper.  Yet  the  Gazette  managed  to 
exist,  and  after  undergoing  many  changes  of  name  its  lineal 
descendant  is  still  found  in  the  Portland  Advertiser.  Popula- 
tion was  now  flowing  from  Massachusetts  into  the  eastern 
counties,  and  the  press  went  with  it ;  though  as  late  as  1824» 
when  Joseph  Griffin  started  the  Maine  Baptist  Herald  at  Bruns- 
wick, he  was  obliged,  at  his  own  expense,  to  establish  a  weekly 
mail  route  as  far  as  Jay,  about  forty-five  miles.  The  first  news- 
paper in  Kennebec  County  was  the  Eastern  Star^  started  at 
Hallowell,  August  4,  179-i.  Lincoln  County  followed  next  with 
The  Telegraphy  published  at  Wiscasset  in  1798.  Oxford  County 
started  in  the  same  year,  with  RuaselVa  Echo  or  The  North  Star. 
Hancock  followed  next  with  the  Castine  Journal  and  Advertiser^ 
the  publication  of  which  was  begun  by  David  J.  Waters,  in, 
1799.  York,  the  oldest  county,  did  not  possess  a  newspaper 
until  1803,  when  The  Annals  of  the  Times  appeared,  and  was 
continued  about  two  years  in  Kennebunk.  After  the  lapse  of 
twelve  years  Penobscot  entered  the  newspaper  ranks  with  the 
Bangor  Weekly  Register.,  the  first  number  of  which  appeared 
Nov.  25,  1815.  Washington  County  next  entered  the  list  with 
the  Eastport  Sentinel^  August,  1818.  Within  the  limits  of 
what  is  now  Waldo  County,  no  newspaper  appeared  until  July 
6,  1820,  when  the  first  number  of  the  Hancock  Gazette  was 
published  at  Belfast.  The  Maine  Gazette^  published  at  Bath, 
December  8,  1820,  was  the  first  newspaper  within  the  limits  of 
what  is  now  Sagadahoc  County.  Somerset  issued  its  first  news- 
paper at  Norridgewock,  May  15,  1823.  It  was  called  The 
Somerset  Journal.  Knox  followed  with  the  Thomaston  Registery 
May  17, 1825.  Franklin  came  next  with  the  Sandy  River  Yeo- 
maHy  which  appeared  at  Farmington  in  1832.  The  Piscataquis 
Herald  appeared  at  Dover,  June  1,  1838.  The  first  newspaper 
within  the  limits  of  the  present  county  of  Androscoggin  was 
the  Lewiston  Falls  Journal^  established  May  21,  1847,  by  Wm. 
H.  Waldron  and  Dr.  Alonzo  Garcelon.  Lastly  the  forest  county 
of  Aroostook  entered  the  list  with  the  Aroostook  Pioneer^  ia 
the  fall  of  1867. 
These  were  the  first  county  newspapers.     They  were  rapidly 


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THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


followed  bv  others,  until  now  nearly  every  village  has  ita  local 
sheet.   Among  the  political  jonrnala  which  have  exerted  a  wide 
influence   may   be   mentioned    the  Portland  Advertiser;   the 
i^astern  Argus,  started  at  Portland  in  1803,  whic'    through  an 
unbroken  existence  of  eighty-six  years  has  remained  the  able 
advocate   of    the   Democratic   party;    the   Kennebe.^  Journal 
Augusta,  1823,  organ  of  the  Whig  and  Republican  parties;  the 
Bangor   Whig  and  Courier,  datiiig  from  September  22,  1833- 
the  Lewiston  Journal,  which  through  the  enterprise  of  its  pub- 
lishers in  gathering  the  news  has  attained  a  wide  circulation 
and  the  Portland  Press,  established  as  the  organ  of  the  Republi- 
can party  in  June,  1862.     The  first  religious  journal  published 
m  Maine  was  the  Christian  Intelligencer,  an  organ  of  tiie  Uni- 
versabsts,  which  appeared  in  Portland  in  1821,  under  the  editor- 
ship of  the  Rev.  Russell  Streeter.  The  Christian  Mirror,  issued 
in  the  interest  of  the  Congregational  church,  appeared  in  Port- 
land m  August,  1822,  and  still  exists.      Zion's  Advocate  has 
ably  represented  the  Baptist  denomination  since  1828.     The 
first  attempt  at  a  literary  journal  was  made  by  John  Neal,  in 
The  Yankee,  the  first  number  of  which  was  issued  in  Portland 
January  1,  1829.    It  had  but  a  brief  existence.     The  first  liter- 
ary and  family  journal  which  obtained  a  permanent  footing  iu 
Maine  was  the  Portland  Transcript,  ushered  into  existence  by 
Charles  P.  Ilsley,  April,  1837.     The  Transcript  has  attained  a 
wide  circulation  and  maintained  a  high  literary  character.     Of 
agricultural  journals  the  Maine  Farmer,  dating  from  1833  has 
done  much  for  the  education  of  the  people  in  matters  pertain- 
ing  to  the  cultivation  of  the  earth. 

In  1880  there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty-three  newspapers 
and  periodicals  published  in  Maine,  the  State  then  ranking 
twenty-sixth  as  regards  numbers,  while  as  regards  circulation 
\t  ranked  sixth,  having  an  aggregate  circulation  of  1,21 1,460 
the  number  being  swollen  by  the  wide  extended  circulation  of 
a  class  of  papers  devoted  to  light  literature,  published  in  the 
State.   In  1810  there  were  eight  periodicals  published  in  Maine; 
in  1840,  thirty-six;  in  1850,  forty-nine;  in  1860,  seventy;  in 
1870,  as  a  consequence  of  the  hard  times  of  the  civil  war,  the 
number  had  fallen  to  sixty-five;  in  1880,  however  it  had  made  a 
rapid  increase  to  123 ;  and  in  1892,  the  number  is  190,  circulat- 
ing 3,511,000  copies. 


Of  these  depositories  of  learning   and  literature  — pul 


)]ic 


jasToer  of  mukk. 


559 


w'i,?."*'?'''"'?."/'"''^  equipment.     The  State  library  at 

mat'™  r„JI  '?!,*•'"''  ""\7*  ^^'''-'-S  'o  S0ver„,„e„7a 
matters  and  is  rich  m  general  literature.     The  library  at  Bow 

dom  College  numbers  60,000  volumes;  of  Colby  U^it^Z 

voiles      The"  srtr,^"r°:"=^'  ""•>  ^---"-'  ^^  "OO 
Thrrr      ■     !,      o     °°"'S'  °f  Agriculture  has  6,856  volumes 
There  are  ,n  the  Slate  about  sixty  libraries  of  over  1  000  w" 
nmes  each.    Many  towns  have  established  public  rbraries  Z!i 

Tant^'fT"  rn"""'^  """"'"S''  ^Le  most  co  ; Tni  1 ' 
gant  of  these  bu,Id,ngs  is  that  presented  to  the  city  of  PortlaTd 
by  the  munificence  of  a  citizen,  Mr.  James  P.  Bax^wtiob 
affords  accommodation  to  the  public  library  containing  87  OW 
volumes,  and  the  library  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society  com 
p™.ng  about  6,500  volumes,  and  as  many  more  pampU  S.""- 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


POLITICAL. 

Division  c  Legislativo,  Executivi  and  Judicial  Powers  —  Maine  Entered 
the  Union  as  an  Anti-Federalist  State  in  1820  —  Became  Democratic  in 
1834— Republican  in  1850— Fusion  in  1879— The  "Count  Out"— Its  Pro- 
ceedings Condemned  by  the  Supreme  Court  —  Fusionists  Elect  Governor 
by  Piuiality  Vote  in  1880  —  Republicans  Return  to  Power  in  1882. 

THE  legislative  power  of  the  State  of  Maine  is  vested  in 
two  distinct  branches,  a  House  of  Representatives^  com- 
posed of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  members,  representing  the 
towns,  and  a  Senate,  comprising  thirty-one  members,  represent- 
ing the  sixteen  counties.   The  supreme  executive  power  resides 
in  a  Governor,  elected  by  a  plurality  vote  of  the  people,  and  a 
Council  of  seven  members,  representing  as  mavr  districts  of 
the  State,  but  chosen  by  the  joint  ballot  of  the  owo  houses  in 
convention,  as  are  also  the  Treasurer  and  Secretary  of  State. 
The  judicial  power  is  vested  in  a  Supreme  Judicial  Court,  and 
Superior  Courts  in  such  counties  as  have  sufficient  business  to 
require  them.      The  justices  are  appointed  by  the  Governor 
and  Council,  and  hold  their  offices  for  a  term  of  seven  years. 
Sheriffs,  judges,  and  registers  of  probate  are  elected  by  the 
people  of  their  respective  counties.    The  justices  of  the  Su- 
preme Judicial  Court  are  obliged  to  give  their  opinions  upon 
important  questions  of  law,  and  upon  solemn  occasions,  when 
required  by  the  Governor,  Council,  Sei>ate,  or  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives.    Until  the  year  1880,  the  State  elections  were 
held  annually,  and  the  Legislature  held  annual  sessions.    In 
that  year  the  Constitution  was  so  amended  that  the  State  elec- 
tions and  sessions  of  the  Legislature  are  now  held  biennially. 

Maine  entered  the  Union  in  1820  as  an  Anti-Federalist  State, 
and  became  Democratic  when  the  party  adopted  that  name  in 
1834.  The  Federalists,  after  being  known  as  National  Repub- 
licans, now  chose  to  call  themselves  Whigs.  The  State  remained 
Democratic  up  to  the  year  1838,  when  Edward  Kent,  the  Whig 
candidate,  was  elected  Governor.  He  was  succeeded  by  John 
Fairfield,  Democrat,  in  1839  and  1840,  but  was  again  chosen  in 
1841.  A  succession  of  Democratic  governors  followed  until 
1853,  when  through  a  division  of  the  Democratic  party,  caused 

by  the  question  of  prohibiting  the  liquor  trafiSo,  William  G. 
560 


L  a 
of 
in 


to 


ju- 


re 


Iff 


I'  iii.,iiiuiiian...,uiiiMM,i,^it    I    '  I  .,1,11.11,.,  I     III.  ,M  .yiM^n^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


501 


I 


Crosby,  the  Whig  candidate,  was  elected  by  the  Legislature, 
and  was  also  chosen  the  succeeding  year  by  that  body,  th 
Constitution  then  requiring  a  majority  vote  of  the  people  to 
elect,  which  neither  candidate  received.    In  the  following  year 
the  old  parties  were  again  broken  up  by  the  question  of  the 
Maine  Law  and  the  formation  of  the  "Know  Nothing"  or 
American  party,  organized  in  opposition  to  foreign  influence  iu 
our  elections,  and  Anson  P.  Morrill,  the  candidate  of  these  two 
parties  was  chosen  Governor  by  the  Legislature,  the  people 
having  again  failed  to  elect.     In  1855,  the  people  failinj  to 
elect,  Samuel  Wells,  the  Democratic  and  anti-Maine  Law  candi- 
date, was  chosen  Governor  by  the  Legislature.     Meantime  a 
new  party,  destined  to  become  the  nucleus  of  a  great  national 
party,  had  been  slowly  gaining  ground  in  the  State.     This  was 
the  Liberty  party,  formed  in  opposition  to  the  existence  of 
slavery.     The  question  of  the  slave  power  was  now  becoming 
supreme  in  national  politics,  and  was  breaking  up  the  old 

lf'''\  ^'t.^'"'^''"''  ^""'^'^  ""  ''^  ^  P'^'<^  being  known  as 
Free  Soil  Democrats."     The  Anti-Slavery  Whigs  split  off 
frona  their  party,  those  who  remained  being  called  "Straight 
Whigs,    and  ultimately  joining  the    old    D.^ocratic   party. 
The  Liberty  party.  Free  Soilera  and  Anti-Slavery  WhiJ  coa- 
lesced  and  formed  the  Republican  party  in  1856,  which  that 
year  elected  Hannibal  Hamlin  Governor  of  the  State.     Mr 
Hamhn  had  been  elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  by  the 
Democratic  party,  but  left  it  on  the  question  of  slavery,  and 
after  being  elected  Governor  by  the  Republicans  was  sent  back 
to  the  Senate  by  them.    The  Republicans  now  held  unbroken 
possession  of  the  State  for  a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  Israel 
Washburn  jr..  Abner  Coburn  and  Samuel  Cony  serving  as    ' 
Governors  through  the  period  of  the  civil  war,  and  being  sue 
ceeded  by  Joshua  L.  Chamberluin,  who  had  served  with  distino- 
tion  m  the  war,  by  Sidney  Perham  and  Nelson  Dinglev  ir   who 
represented  the  Maine  Law  wing  of  the  party,  and  by  Selden 
Connor,  another  gallant  soldier,  who  had  been  maimed  in  the 
service  of  the  Union. 

In  1878,  a  disturbing  element  appeared  in  the  poHtics  of  the 
btate  m  the  shape  of  the  new  Greenback  party,  formed  in 
opposition  to  the  resumption  of  specie  payments,  which  had 
been  suspended  during  the  war.  this  party,  on  the  plea  of 
Gi.e.=.p  cur-rcucy,  caught  the  popular  favor,  especially  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State,  and  in  1878  drew  off  the  great  body 


66:^ 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


of  the  Demoorata,  and  also  a  considerable  number  of  RepublU 
can  voters.  The  result  was  no  election  of  Governor  by  the 
people,  and  the  Legislature  chose  Dr.  Alonzo  Garcelon,  the 
Democratic  nominee. 

The  administration  of  Governor  Garcelon  was  marked  by  the 
most  exciting  political  event  in  the  history  of  the  State,  at  one 
time  threatening  civil  war.  The  election  in  1879  resulted,  as 
before,  in  no  choice  of  Governor  by  the  people.  There  were 
three  candidates  in  the  field,  the  nominees  of  the  Republican, 
Greenback  and  Democratic  parties.  On  minor  officers  the 
Qreenbackers  and  Democrats  had  already  begun  to  coalesce, 
and  in  the  Legislature  their  members  acted  together.  On  the 
face  of  the  returns  the  Republicans  had  elected  a  majority  of 
the  Legislature,  which  would  give  them  the  election  of  Gov- 
ernor and  the  control  of  the  State.  Just  here  a  great  tempta- 
tion assailed  the  Governor  and  Council,  who  acted  as  a  return- 
ing board.  Through  the  negligence  or  incompetency  of  many 
ef  the  town  officers,  there  were  always  many  clerical  or  techni- 
cal errors  in  the  returns.  It  had  been  customary  to  allow  the 
correction  of  these,  and  a  law  had  been  passed  for  that  purpose. 
Governor  Garcelon  and  his  Council  set  this  law  aside  as  uncon- 
stitutional, thus  usurping  the  office  of  the  Supreme  Judicial 
Court,  and  determined  on  a  strict  construction  of  the  law  in 
counting  the  returns.  Some  were  thrown  out  because  they  were 
not  made  up  and  sealed  in  open  town  meeting,  othe  o  because 
they  were  not  attested  by  the  town  clerk,  others  again  be- 
cause they  did  not  set  forth  the  whole  number  of  ballots,  or 
because  they  did  not  state  for  whom  the  "  scattering "  votes 
were  thrown,  while  in  the  case  of  several  cities,  they  were  not 
signed  by  a  majority  of  the  aldermen.  It  was  noted  that  the 
informalities  resulted  in  throwing  out  only  Republican  mem- 
bers, and  it  was  charged,  and  afterward  proved  before  an  in- 
vestigating committee  of  the  Legislature,  that  the  Fusionists 
were  allowed  to  secretly  correct  their  imperfect  returns.  The 
result  of  this  proceedure  was  that  by  certification  of  the 
Governor  and  Council,  the  House  was  understood  to  stand  Re- 
publicans, sixty-one ;  Fusion,  seventy-eight,  with  twelve  vacan- 
eies,  and  the  Senate,  Republicans,  eleven  ;  Fusion,  twenty. 

When  it  was  learned  that  the  number  of  those  members  who 
had  been  "counted  in"  by  this  process,  together  with  those 
■who  had  been  "  counted  out,"  gave  the  Democrats  and  Green- 
backers  a  majority  of  the  Legislature,  thus  reversing  the  result 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


563 


of  the  election,  great  excitement  ensued  throughout  the  State. 
Indignation  meetings  were  held  in  all  the  cities  ar^d  larger 
towns,  and  the  clergy  thundered  from  their  pulpits.  So  great 
was  the  popular  indignation  that  the  Governor  and  Council 
thought  it  necessary  to  fortify  their  position  by  military  prepa- 
rations, and  the  capitol  was  placed  under  guard.  These  pro- 
ceedings but  added  fuel  to  the  flame.  An  attempt  to  remove 
guns  from  Bangor  to  Augusta  was  frustrated  by  an  uprising 
of  the  people  of  the  former  city. 

The  Republican  leaders  demanded  that  the  question  of  the 
legality  of  the  returns  should  be  submitted  to  the  justices  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  as  provided  in  the  Constitution.  The 
Council  objected  to  this,  but  the  Governor,  being  advised 
thereto  by  leading  members  of  his  own  party,  took  the  respon- 
sibility of  complying  with  the  demand.  A  series  of  carefully 
guarded  questions  was  submitted  to  the  justices.  They  did 
not  confine  themselves  to  these,  but  reviewed  the  whole  matter, 
and  explicitly  condemned  at  every  point  the  action  of  the 
Governor  and  Council,  declaring  that  the  returns  made  by 
municipal  officers,  in  the  hurry,  bustle  and  confusion  of  an 
election,  are  not  required  to  be  written  with  scrupulous  nicety, 
and  are  not  to  be  strangled  by  idle  technicalities.  They  were 
unanimous  in  their  decision,  one  of  the  justices  being  a 
Democrat. 

The  Governor,  however,  refused  to  recall  any  certificates 
issued,  or  to  issue  new  ones,  as  his  work  had  been  performed 
under  the  Constitution  and  statutes  as  he  understood  them. 
It  was  determined  to  organize  the  Legislature  under  the  certifi- 
cates issued.  When  that  body  met  a  contest  for  supremacy 
took  place  in  both  Houses.  In  the  Senate,  the  Republicans, 
led  by  Senator  Joseph  A.  Locke,  moved  to  substitute  the  names 
of  the  Senators  really  elected  for  those  read  by  the  Secretary. 
This  was  refused,  and  the  Fusion  members  elected  James  D. 
Lamson  of  Waldo,  President,  the  Republicans  abstaining  from 
voting.  In  the  House  the  Republicans,  led  by  Eugene  Hale, 
protested  against  the  organization  of  the  House  in  the  absence 
of  a  quorum.  The  protest  was  disregarded,  and  John  C.  Tal- 
bot of  East  Machias  was  elected  Speaker  by  the  votes  of  the 
Fusionists,  the  Republican  members  leaving  the  House  in  a 
body. 

As  the  Lemslatnrp.  wno  f.Ko  in/lrra  /%f  fUp  oV^fi/^.-.  f^t  :«■»  ^ 

bers,  it  had  been  stated  that  on  its  assembling  the  Representa- 


564 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINS. 


tivea  of  cities  excluded  becunse  of  informalities  would  be 
immediately  admitted.  But  the  Fusionista  did  uot  proceed  to 
admit  them ;  they  improved  the  opportunity  of  their  absence 
to  organize  both  Houses,  elect  minor  oflBcers,  and  so  far  as  they 
were  able  to  take  possession  of  the  government. 

A  complication  now  arose  from  u  charge  made  by  two  Fusion 
members  of  the  House,  Swan  of  Minot,  and  Harriman  of  Ken- 
iiebunk,  to  the  effect  that  an  attempt  had  been  made  by  the 
Republicans,  by  offer  of  a  bribe  of  one  thousand  dollars,  to 
induce  them  to  refuse  to  take  their  seats.  The  money  was 
displayed  by  them,  having  been  taken,  as  they  alleged,  in  order 
to  expose  the  attempt  at  bribery.  Wallace  R.  White  of  Win- 
throp,  who  it  wan  alleged  made  the  offer,  denied  the  charge. 

The  President  of  the  Senate  refusing  at  first  io  qualify  as 
Governor,  and  the  terra  of  Governor  Garcelon  having  expired, 
he  issued  an  order  authorizing  Gen.  Joshua  L.  Chamberlain, 
commanding  the  militia  of  the  State,  .to  protect  the  public 
property,  and  mai.itain  order  until  his  successor  should  be 
elected.  Meantime,  President  Larason  of  the  SenatCi  having 
become  convinced  that  it  was  his  duty  to  qualify  as  Governor, 
attempted  to  assume  the  duties  of  that  office,  but  was  not 
recognized  by  Gen.  Chamberlain,  whose  authority  was  acknowl- 
edged by  all  parties.  He  dismissed  the  guard  at  the  capitol 
and  placed  the  building  in  charge  of  the  police  of  Augusta 
under  Mayor  Nash.  Despite  the  protests  of  the  Fusionists, 
he  permitted  the  Republican  members  of  the  Legislature  to 
occupy  the  halls  in  the  evening,  after  the  Fusionists  had 
adjourned.  The  Republican  members  of  the  House,  on  meet- 
ing, numbered  eighty-four,  the  number  in  the  Fusion  House 
being  seventy-five.  Both  branches  proceeded  to  organize,  the 
Senate  electing  Joseph  A.  Locke  of  Cumberland,  President, 
and  the  House  choosing  George  E.  Weeks  of  Augusta,  Speaker. 
The  members  counted  out  were  admitted  to  their  seats,  and  an 
order  was  passed  calling  upon  the  Supreme  Court  for  its  opinion 
in  regard  to  the  legal  organization  of  the  Legislature.  "  Gov. 
ernor  "  Lamson  sent  a  messenger  to  the  court  warning  it  not  to 
"give  countenance  to  revolutionary  proceediugs." 

There  were  now  two  Legislatures,  meeting  alternately.  The 
Fusion  body  proceeded  to  the  election  of  Governor,  and  Joseph 
L.  Smith,  the  Greenback  candidate,  was  declared  elected  in  due 
form.  Councilors  were  also  elected-  and  "  Governor  *'  Smith 
delivered  his  inaugural  address.  Meantime,  the  reply  of  the 
court,  sustaining  in  every  particular  the  positions  assumed  by 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


56ft 


the  Republicans,  having  been  received,  they  uroceeded  to  elect 
Daniel  F.  Davis  as  Governor,  who  appeared  .md  took  the  oath 
amid  tremendous  cheering,  and  a  scene  of  great  excitement. 

"Governor"  Smith  had  previously  ordered  three  companiei 
of  militia  to  meet  at  Augusta,  but  thay  did  not  respond.  Oov- 
crnor  Davis  notified  the  militia  to  be  ready  at  a  moment's  call, 
and  a  /ery  large  police  force  was  placed  in  the  capitol.  It  was 
necessary  to  force  an  entrance  to  several  of  the  department 
offices,  and  the  State  seal  was  found  to  be  missintr. 

During  all  this  time  the  excitable  men  on  both  sides  were 
sending  despatches  to  Lewiston,  Poitland,  Bath,  Waterville, 
and  other  places,  now  calling  for  reinforcements,  and  again 
sending  them  back.  This  state  of  things  forced  Gen.  Cham- 
berlain to  issue  a  proclamation  giving  assurance  that  there  was 
no  occasion  for  public  alarm.  The  guards  at  the  capitol  were 
increased  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  a  large  force  of  Hal- 
lowell  stone-cutters  being  called  in.  Mayor  Nash  gave  notice 
that  admission  to  the  capitol  was  to  be  confined  to  members 
elect,  those  claiming  seats.  State  officers,  and  those  having 
passes  from  Gen.  Chamberlain. 

Upon  learning  that  the  Supreme  Court  had  decided  in  favor 
of  the  Republicans,  "Governor"  Smith  issued  an  order  reliev- 
ing Gen.  Chamberlain  of  his  command  of  the  militia,  and 
revoking  the  special  order  directing  him  to  protect  the  publio 
property.  Gen.  Chamberlain  replied  by  asking  the  Governor 
for  the  proper  evidence  of  his  authority,  to  which  he  promised 
a  prompt  obedience.  Meantime,  Gov.  Davis  wrote  to  the 
General,  informing  him  of  his  election  and  qualification,  and 
submitting  the  opinion  of  the  court.  To  this  Gen.  Chamber- 
lain replied,  resigning  the  trust  conferred  on  him  by  the  special 
order  of  Gov.  Garcelon  as  his  last  official  act. 

When  the  Fusion  Legislature  next  attempted  to  enter  the 
capitol,  headed  by  "Governor"  Smith,  they  were  refused  ad- 
mission  by  Mayor  Nash,  acting  under  orders  of  Governor  Davis. 
They  held  a  brief  session  on  the  sidewalk,  and  adjourned  to 
meet  next  day  at  a  hall  in  the  city.  When  they  met  there  was 
evidence  of  divided  counsels,  but  finally  a  vote  was  passed 
requiring  the  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court  ou  the  question  as 
to  which  ^va3  the  legal  Legislature.  The  court  gave  a  unani- 
mous decision,  declining  to  recognize  the  Fusion  bodies,  and 
explicitly  declaringr  the  House  and  Senate  th^n  hnMipr*  o«co,v.,„ 
in  the  capitol,  to  be  the  legal  Legislature  of  Maine.  Thereupon 
the  Fusion  bodies  dispersed,  the  members  legally  elected,  with 


666 


THE  mSTOR/  OF  MAINE. 


a  few  exceptions,  taking  their  seats  in  the  Legislature.  Those 
remaining  finally  adjourned  in  t*ecret  session,  on  the  28th  of 
January,  1880,  to  meet  on  the  first  Wednesday  in  August. 
They  never  came  together  again.  Under  stress  of  a  wan  ant 
for  his  arrest,  the  Fusion  Secretary  of  State  returned  the  State 
seal,  and  the  legally  constituted  government  took  possession  of 
the  offices. 

During  this  period  of  heated  controversy  there  was  great 
exciteiJfetrt  throughout  the  State.  Rumors  of  plots  and  coun- 
terplots flew  thick  and  fast.  Extreme  partisans  counseled 
violent  action,  and  at  one  time  a  report  that  the  Fusionists 
were  about  to  seize  the  capitol,  induced  Gc  v.  Davis  to  order 
several  companies  of  militia  to  its  defense,  but  the  sound, 
sober  sense  of  the  people  prevented  any  ovtrt  acts,  and  no 
deeds  of  violence  were  committed  by  members  of  either  party. 
Gen.  Chamberlain  won  great  praise  for  the  firmness  and  ira- 
pa/tiality  with  which  he  discharged  the  duties  of  Iiis  responsi- 
ble position. 

The  exciting  question  was  carried  into  the  next  State  election. 
The  Democrats  and  Greenbackers  united  on  Gen.  Harris  M. 
Plaisted  as  their  candidate  for  Governor,  and  strained  every 
nerve  to  procure  a  popular  vindication  of  their  course  the  pre- 
vious year.  The  Republicans  renominated  Gov.  Davis,  and 
made  a  vigorous  canvass  on  "the  count  out,"  but  they  were 
handicapped  by  the  charges  of  bribery  which  had  not  been 
satisfactorily  disproved.  The  result  was  that  while  the  Repub- 
licans carried  the  Legislature,  Gen.  Plaisted  received  a  plurality 
of  169  votes,  or  of  226  votes,  counting  57  cast  for  Harrison  M. 
Plaisted.  The  amendments  to  the  Constitution  providing  for 
the  election  of  Governor  by  plurality  vote,  and  for  biennial 
elections  and  sessions  of  the  Legislature,  having  now  come  into 
effect.  Gen.  Plaisted  was  declared  duly  elected,  and  served  the 
terra  of  two  years.  The  Legislature,  being  Republican,  elected 
a  Council  between  whom  and  the  Governor  there  was  a  consid- 
erable amount  of  friction  during  the  term. 

In  1882,  the  Greenback  movement  having  begun  to  subside, 
the  Republicans  elected  Hon.  Frederick  Robie  Governor  by  a 
plurality  of  8,560  votes.  They  have  since  held  possession  of 
the  State,  electing  Frederick  Robie  Governor  in  1884,  and 
Joseph  R.  Bod  well  in  1886.     Gov.  Bod  well  died  December  15. 

1  fiAT      nnd      TT/M1        .QaKaaf  ^o  n      ^      l\.Tm*K1ia      T^iiAai/lai-kf     f\^     f  Ua      QAv^nf /^ 
—  "-""^    •••••-      .»..>.,     .^.v  ■^tli^vitt  IX      *ji    ijrxtxt  KTt.\j'%    i.    1  v-»Ti»*^-'t  J  t,'     v's.      vtjv     r_'vrittVwj 

acted  as  Governor  during  the  remainder  of  his  term.    In  18S8 
£dwin  C.  Burleigh  was  el?ct?d  Governor,  and  re-elected  1890. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

BEaOOROEB  AND  INDUSTRTES. 

Tempoiature  and  Climate  — Area  — Water  Power  — Forest  Products  — Pi  A 
aiid  Game  —  AgriouUuro  —  Shore  and  Deop-Svia  Fisheries  — Shipbuilding 
—  Qranito,  Slate,  Limerook  and  Ice — Manufactures — Coud'tlon  of  Op- 
eratives —  Deposits  in  Savings  Banks  —  Railroad  Systems — Pleasure  Trav- 
el— Lake  and  Seaside  Resorts  —  Reasons  why  the  People  Should  Be  Con- 
tented with  their  Lot. 


TEMPERATURE  A»;JD  CLIMATE. 

THE  State  of  Muine  lies  between  the  43d  and  47th  degrees 
of  Noith  latitude,  along  the  45th  parallel,  which  positioa 
gives  it  u  moderate  temperature  and  variable  winds.  The  mean 
annual  temperature  of  the  whole  State  is  about  40  degrees. 
The  summer  is  cool,  the  winter  not  so  severe  as  in  correspond- 
ing latitudes  in  the  inteiior. 

The  climate  ia  healthful,  malarious  fevers  being  unknown  ;  al- 
though on  the  coast,  where  the  moisture  is  excessive,  diseases 
of  the  respiratory  organs  prevail. 

AREA. 

Presenting  a  broad  base  of  226  miles  to  the  sea,  with  a  hun- 
dred harbors  opening  on  the  great  Gulf  of  Maine,  the  State  ex- 
tends in  a  triangular  form  nearly  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  a  dis- 
tance of  250  miles.  It  has  a  width  of  224  miles  at  its  widest 
part,  and  an  extreme  length  of  301  miles.  The  whole  '^-Tcuit 
of  its  boundaries  is  nearly  1,000  miles,  and  it  has  an  area  of  81,- 
766  square  miles,  being  nearly  as  large  as  all  the  rest  of  New 
England. 

WATER  POWER. 

Few,  if  t"*uy  portions  of  the  earth's  surface  approach  Main© 
in  the  extent,  the  vclnma,  momentum  and  constancy  of  its 
water  power.  Its  northern  forests  absorb  the  abundant  rainfall 
like  a  sponge.  More  than  1,500  lakes  s^i've  as  so  aiauy  roservoirs 
for  its  retention,  while  their  outlets,  flowing  thi-ousfh  rock-bound 
beds,  and  falling  ia  the  short  distance  of  150  to  200  miles,  from 
an  average  elevation  of  600  feet,  leap  in  a  series  of  cascades  t© 


U7  sect  I 


667 


068 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


These  conditions  give  the  State  great  advantages  for  the 
prosecution  of  commerce  and  manufactures,  while  its  agricul- 
tural capabilities  are  greater  than  has  generally  been  supposed. 


FOREST  PRODUCTS. 

A  prime  source  of  the  wealth  of  Maine  is  found  in  her  forests. 
These  cover  the  northern  portion  of  the  State,  and  comprise 
twelve  million  acres,  or  62.7  of  its  entire  territory.  Of  this 
percentage  22.4  per  cent  is  in  farm  lands  and  the  remainder  in 
wild  lands.  The  entire  forest  urea  of  New  England  is  but  19,- 
193,028  acres,  of  which  it  will  be  seen  Maine  possesses  nearly 
two-thirds.  Originally  her  forests  abounded  in  pine,  which,  at 
ene  time,  was  considered  almost  the  only  timber  worth  cutting. 
As  a  consequence  the  pine  has  greatly  diminished,  yet  the  prod- 
uct is  still  large  and  quite  constant  ;  in  1888  over  29,000,000 
feet  of  pine  timber  were  surveyed  at  the  port  of  Bangor,  and 
this  is  not  far  fi'om  the  average  yearly  survey  for  the  years  since 
1860. 

As  the  pine  has  diminished  other  woods,  once  thought  to  pos- 
sess no  commercial  value,  have  come  into  use,  notably  spruce, 
birch,  maple  and  other  hard  woods.  Great  quantities  of  the 
softer  woods  are  consumed  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  pulp, 
and  birch  is  worked  u^.  into  spools.  New  uses  for  what  once 
were  considered  nearly  worthless  woods  are  constanfly  being 
found,  thu  V  adding  to  the  value  of  the  forest  product.  From 
1855  to  1891  there  were  surveyed  at  Bangor  6,267,403,785  feet 
of  lumber,  23,114,771  feet  of  which  was'  pine.  In  1888  there 
were  shipped  from  the  port  of  Portland  to  South  American 
ports  36,654,610  feet,  valued  at  $769,911.61,  and  in  1891,  10,- 
000,000  feet,  valued  at  $1,100,000. 

This  industry  gives  employment  to  a  large  number  of  men. 
The  hardy  lumbermen  enter  the  woods  in  the  late  autumn, 
making  their  homes  for  the  winter  in  the  logging  camps.  They 
cut  the  timber,  draw  it  to  the  streams,  and  in  the  spring  come 
out  with  the  floods,  and  drive  the  logs  down  the  swollen  rivers 
to  the  great  saw-mills  on  the  Penobscot  and  other  rivers.  Some 
of  these  mills  are  the  largest  in  the  world,  and  the  timber  is 
there  manufactured  into  all  the  forma  of  building  materials. 
The  annuf  1  value  of  this  forest  product  may  still  be  placed  at 
111,000,000  to  112,000,000  for  timber  and  firewood. 

T'^S  State  having  unwisely  parted  with  all  its  wild  land,  it  is 


THE  Hlf^TORT  OF  MAINE. 


569 


now  largelj'  held  by  private  owners,  in  immense  tracts,  often 
comprising  one  or  more  townships.  These  owners  clear  no  land, 
and  sell  no  land,  thns  obstructing  its  settlement  and  the  mak- 
ing of  roads. 

The  forests  must  remain  an  important  source  of  the  commer- 
cial and  industrial  importance  of  the  State.  Their  preserva- 
tion has  therefore  become  a  matter  claiming  the  attention  of  its 
people,  and  the  demand  is  now  made  that  greater  precautions 
shall  be  taken  apinst  fires.  Trees  below  a  certain  size  are  not 
allowed  to  be  cu.,, ..  condition  wuich  enters  into  the  landholders' 
leases  to  the  loggers.  The  art  of  forestry  must  henceforth 
demand  the  attention  of  all  interested  in  the  preservation  of 
one  of  the  great  resources  of  the  State. 

FISH  AND  GAME. 

A  source  of  wealth  and  healthful  recreation  is  also  found  in 
the  pursuit  of  the  fish  and  game  abounding  in  these  forests. 
The  numerous  lakes  and  streams  afford  good  fishing,  while  deer, 
moose  and  caribou  are  found  in  the  woods.  These,  of  late  years, 
have  been  protected  by  game  laws,  more  or  less  enforced,  and 
the  result  has  been  an  increase  in  the  deer,  which,  under  the 
indiscriminate  slaughter  of  pot  hunters,  had  become  nearly 
exterminated. 

Under  the  operations  of  a  fish  commission  the  lakes  and 
streams  have  been  restocked  with  edible  fish,  and  the  salmon  is 
now  caught  on  the  Penobscot,  from  which  it  had  been  driven  by 
dams  and  sawdust.  The  wise  preservation  of  the  fish  and  game 
will  conserve  to  the  State  a  source  of  revenue  and  of  food  for 
the  people. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Though  the  soil  of  Maine,  as  a  whole,  is  not  noted  for  its  fer- 
tility, yet  in  the  rich  intervale  lands  of  its  river  valleys  and  the 
broad  fields  of  Aroostook  the  State  has  regions  of  great  produc- 
tiveness. Agriculture  must  always  form  one  of  its  leading  in- 
dustries. Taken  in  connection  with  the  related  industries  for 
which  Maine  is  so  well  adapted  by  its  abundant  water  power,  it 
offers  a  promising  field  for  the  enterprise  of  the  young  men  of 
the  State.  Though  capital  invested  in  farms  does  not  pay  a 
large  interest,  it  gives  a  good  return  in  the  independent  position 
of  the  farmer;  and  the  sturdy  manhood  and  genuine  womanhood 
of  the  State  a:  a  nurtured  on  the  home  farm. 


570 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


The  leading  crops  of  Maine,  in  the  order  of  amount  raised^ 
are  hay,  potatoes,  oats,  Indian  corn,  wheat,  buckwheat  and  bar- 
ley. 

The  orchards,  which,  in  the  past,  have  been  much  neglected, 
are  now  becoming  a  prominent  source  of  income  through  the 
foreign  demand  for  Maine  apples,  which  are  noted  for  their 
excellent  flavor  and  keeping  qualities.  Large  shipments  of 
them  are  now  annually  made  to  England.  The  value  of  the 
orchard  products  of  the  State,  given  by  the  census  of  1880  at 
$1,112,026,  must  now  be  much  increased. 

Potatoes  form  the  leading  product  of  the  fertile  lands  of 
Aroostook.  The  crop,  which,  by  the  census  of  1880,  was  2,248,- 
694  bushels,  has  now  reached  3,000,000  bushels.  It  is  largely 
consumed  in  the  manufacture  of  starch  on  the  spot,  thus  sus- 
taining an  important  local  industry,  the  annual  product  of 
which  is  over  7,000  tons. 

Sweet  corn  is  another  crop  which  maintains  a  related  indus- 
try in  the  canning  business.  The  preserving  of  green  vegeta- 
bles by  hermetical  sealing,  in  this  country,  was  first  practiced 
in  Maine,  and  its  silicious  soil  and  sparkling  atmosphere  are  pe- 
culiarly adapted  to  the  growth  of  sugar  corn.  The  canned 
product  has  a  wide  reputation,  and  gives  employment,  in  its 
season,  to  a  large  number  of  hands.  In  1888  the  number  of  cases 
packed  was  496,200,  which  was  247,969  cases  less  than  were 
packed  in  1887,  the  shrinkage  being  due  to  unusually  severe 
frosts  in  September. 

The  annual  wool  clip  is  an  item  of  much  importance,  reaching 
in  1880  no  less  than  2,776,407  pounds.     ' 

The  establishment  of  butter  and  cheese  factories  has  had  the 
effect  to  increase  these  products  of  the  farm,  and  the  canning 
business  has  created  a  market  for  various  vegetables. 

The  census  of  1880  gives  the  number  of  men  engaged  in  ag- 
riculture in  Maine  as  89,176  out  of  258,587  men,  and  243  wom- 
en out  of  261,082  women.  The  number  of  farms  was  64,309  ^ 
acres  of  improved  land,  3,484,908 ;  value  of  farms,  $102,357,615 ;: 
value  of  farm  products,  $21,945,489.  The  value  of  the  products- 
of  all  mechanical  and  manufacturing  industries  was  $106,780,- 
663.  The  valuation  of  the  State  was  fixed  by  the  census  at 
$511,000,000. 

The  agricultural  industry  of  the  State  is  now  well  organized, 
having  as  agencies  for  its  advanceu;;  at  two  State  agricultural 


HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


671 


societies,  one  State  pomologlcal  society,  a  Staie  branch  of  the 
National  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  a  State  Board  of 
Agriculture,  a  State  Grange,  having  16,000  members,  forty- 
one  incorporated  county  agricultural  societies  receiving  boun- 
ty from  the  State,  and  many  other  organizations  of  a  similar 
character  not  directly  aided  by  the  State. 

FISiiEBIES. 

The  shore  and  deep-sea  fisheries  were  the  earliest  industries  of 
Maine.  The  first  adventurers  who  made  a  lodgment  on  the 
islands  along  the  coast  came  in  pursuit  of  fish  and  trade  with 
the  Indians.  Fishing,  with  the  coast  population,  has  taken  pre- 
cedence  of  agriculture,  causing  neglect  of  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil.  The  harvest  of  the  sea  has  been,  at  times,  of  greater  value- 
than  the  product  of  the  laud,  though  at  other  times  the  yield 
has  been  next  to  nothing.  Yet  the  chances  of  lucky  hauls  have 
lured  men  from  the  steady  pursuit  of  the  more  certain  gains  of 
agriculture.  The  fisheries  have  bred  a  race  of  hardy  men,  who 
have  supplied  sailors  for  the  navy  and  the  mercantile  marine. 

In  the  amount  of  tonnage  employed  in  the  fisheries,  Maine 
ranks  next  to  Massachusetts.    By  the  census  of  1880,  Maine 
had  11,071  persons  engaged  in  the  fisheries ;  capital  invested 
$3,375,994;  value  of  product,  $3,614,178;  number  of  vessels! 
606 ;  tonnage,  17,632.65  tons ;  value  of  vessels,  $633,542.    Owing 
to  the  fluctuations  in  the  business  caused  by  the  migratory  hab- 
its of  certain  species  of  fish,  the  number  of  men  and  vessels  em- 
ployed  varies  much  from  year  to  year.     In  the  year  ending 
June  30,  1888,  Maine  had  but  453  vessels  engaged  in  the  cod 
and  mackerel  fisheries,  with  a  tonnage  of  16,301  tons.     The 
catch  of  mackerel  for  1888  was  the  smallest  known  for  fifty 
years,  being  25,511  barrels,  against  56,919  for  1887,  58,557  for 
1886,  and  258,900  for  1885.    The  total  catch  of  codfish  by  the 
Maine  and  Massachusetts  fleets  was  585,581  quintals,  against 
676,723  quintals  in  1887,  a  falling  off  of  91,142  quintals.    The 
fleet  numbered  305  sail  from  Massachusetts  and  190  sail  from. 
Maine,  a  total  of  495  sail  against  a  total  of  560  sail  in  1887  and 
689  in  1886. 

The  lobster  fishery  is  an  important  industry,  calling  for  much 
legislation  in  the  way  of  close  time  and  limitation  of  catchable 
length,  to  prevent  the  extermination  of  this  delicious  crustacean. 
The  contention  is  that  the  nine-inch  lobster  should  not  be  used, 


«72 


THE  mSTOHT  OF  MAI^V. 


as  it  has  not  yet  come  to  maturity  and  has  no  eggs  attached  to 
it,  while  the  ten  and  one-half  inch  lobster  has  from  15,000  to 
25,000  aggs  attached  to  it.  The  yearly  catch  is  estimated  at 
15,000,000  lobsters,  sustaining  a  large  canning  industry,  while 
many  are  shipped  to  markets  in  barrels. 

The  smelt  and  alewive  fisheries  form  a  considerablo  item  in 
the  yearly  product  of  the  sea,  though  the  latter  is  gradually 
falling  off.  The  herring- sardine  business,  an  enterprise  which 
-originated  in  Maine,  has  attained  considerable  magnitude. 
There  are  forty  factories  iu  the  State,  their  product  for  1887-88 
being  500,000  cases,  each  case  containing  100  boxes,  and  each 
hox  ten  or  twelve  little  fishes. 


SHIPBUILDING. 

Shipbuilding  is  also  to  be  numbered  among  the  earliest 
industries  of  Maine.  In  1607  the  Popham  colonists  built  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kennebec  the  first  vessel  constructed  in  New  Eng- 
land, and  that  river  is  today  the  scene  of  the  largest  ship-build- 
ing industry  in  the  country.  For  many  years  the  building  of 
wooden  vessels  ranked  among  the  most  important  manufactures 
of  Maine,  but  the  famous  clipper  ships  which  flourished  from 
1848  to  1870  have  given  place  to  iron  steamships,  and  the  build- 
ing of  wooden  vessels  has  greatly  declined. 

The  number  of  vessels  built  iu  Maine  in  1880  was  88,  with 
a  tonnage  of  41,396,  giving  employment  to  1,390  hands,  whose 
wages  amounted  to  $576,502.  In  1888  were  built  22  vessels, 
12,227.35  tons ;  1889, 81  vessels,  39,623.72  tons ;  1890, 105  vessels, 
62,859  tons ;  1891, 124  vessels,  49,616.88  tons.  Of  tho^e  for  1891, 
39  with  a  tonnage  of  32,063.14  were  built  at  Bath,  which  is 
the  leading  shipbuilding  port  of  the  country.  The  domestic  or 
•coastwise  tonnage  is  increasing,  ^s  is  also  the  size  of  vessels. 
In  the  coasting  trade  a  two-masted  schooner  of  three  hundred 
tons  was  formerly  considered  a  good-sized  vessel.  Now  fore- 
and-aft  vessels  are  built  to  carry  three,  four  and  even  five  masts, 
and  their  tonnage  is  many  times  three  hundred  tons.  The 
five-masted  schooner,  Governor  Ames,  which  sailed  from  Port- 
land April  30,  1889,  took  out  to  Buenos  Ayres  a  cargo  of  1,896,- 
'000  feet  of  spruce  and  pine  lumber,  the  largest  cargo,  with  one 
-exception,  ever  taken  by  an  American  vessel. 

Another  change  in  the  coastwise  trade  is  the  tendency  to  use 
barges  towed  by  steam  tugs,  instead  of  sailing  vessels,  old  sliips 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


67ff 


being  utilized  for  this  purpose.  The  change  in  the  rig  ef  ves- 
sela  13  seen  in  the  fact  that  of  the  vessels  built  in  the  United 
States  during  the  year  ending  June  30,  1888,  275  were  schoon- 
ers,and  only  four— two  barks  and  two  barkentines  — were 
square-rigged  vessels.  Not  a  brig  nor  a  ship  was  buUt  during 
the  year.  '  " 

While  the  foreign  tonnage  of  the  country  has  fallen  off  the 
coastwise  tonnage  is  increasing,  and  the  indications  point  to  a 
revival  of  shipbuilding  in  Maine. 

QUARRIES. 

Among  Maine's  natural  sources  of  wealth  must  bo  counted 
her  granite,  slate,  limerock  and  ice.  The  islands  along  her 
coast  are  largely  composed  of  granite,  which  is  also  found  of 
excellent  quality  in  the  interior.  Quarries  in  Penobscot  Bay 
have  been  operated  to  a  large  extent,  and  the  white  granite  of 
Hallowell  has  long  been  used  in  fine  ornamental  work.  Black 
granite  is  tound  at  Addison,  red  and  variegated  at  Jonesport 
and  Calais.  For  paving,  the  construction  of  public  buildings,, 
and  monumental  work,  Maine  granite  is  in  demand  throughout 
the  country.  It  gives  employment  to  three  thousand  men, 
whose  wages,  on  the  average,  amount  to  $1,500,000  annually. 

The  slate  quarries  of  Piscataquis  county  afford  excellent 
slate  for  roofing  and  all  kinds  of  slate  goods.  For  strength, 
durability  and  permanence  of  color  it  has  no  superior.  Some 
of  the  quarries  have  been  operated  irregularly,  but  the  demand 
for  their  product,  the  annual  value  of  which  has  amounted  to 
about  $200,000,  is  steadily  increasing. 

The  limerock  of  Knox  County  has  long  sustained  a  consid- 
erable industry,  the  annual  product  amounting  to  about  1,600,- 
000  barrels  of  lime. 

Ice  is  a  sure  crop  in  Maine,  and  consequently  has  the  advan- 
tage of  its  failure  elsewhere.  It  affords  a  winter  industry,  which 
gives  employment  to  more  than  7,000  men  and  many  teams. 
The  operations  on  the  Kennebec,  the  principal  field  of  the  in- 
dustry, where  large  crews  of  men  and  horses  are  employed  in 
sweeping  the  snow  from  the  surface  of  the  ice,  cutting  it  into 
blocks  and  hauling  it  into  the  huge  storehouses  on  the  shore, 
present  a  busy  and  picturesque  scene  on  a  bright  winter  day. 

The  business  m'VfiS   f>mnlnvmonf    ff.    o    lo7.r»«    fl««4-    ^*  „^u 

a    ■ r J ••'•    «»    itirtgu    iiacv    Ui  ouiiuuucia, 

engaged  in  transporting  the  ice  to  Southern  markets.     Th» 
annual  storage  usually  amounts  to  a  million  tons. 


I 


«74 


THE  JlISTOIir  OF  MAINE. 


MANUFACTURES. 

The  immense  water  power  of  Maine  aflforded  by  her  swift- 
flowing  and  rock-bound  rivers  early  led  to  the  introduction  of 
saw-mills,  which  utilized  the  abundant  forest  growth,  and  clear, 
ed  the  fields  for  the  farmers.  These  were  followed  by  woolen 
mills,  which  took  from  the  hand's  of  the  housewife  the  domestic 
industry  so  long  carried  on  by  her  for  the  clothing  of  her  fam- 
ily. But  as  late  as  1810  she  made  more  than  half  the  woolen 
cloth  manufactured  in  Maine,  turning  off  453,410  yards,  while 
the  fulling  mills  dressed  but  357,386  yards  annually.  By  1850, 
however,  the  manufacture  had  largely  passed  out  of  her  hands, 
though  the  number  of  woolen  mills  was  then  but  thirty-six.  In 
1880  they  had  increased  to  ninety-three,  giving  employment  in 
the  interior  villages  to  3,045  persons,  and  producing  an  annual 
product  valued  at  $0,687,073. 

Cotton,mills  soon  followed,  their  product  in  1810  amounting 
to  811,912  yards.  The  attention  of  capitalists  in  other  States 
was  turned  to  Maine's  superior  water  privileges?,  and  though  at 
first  encountering  opposition  from  hostile  laws,  the  jealousy  of 
local  feeling  and  the  short-sighted  policy  of  putting  too  high  a 
price  upon  land,  they  ultimately  gained  possession  of  the  best 
sites,  and  cotton  factories  sprang  up  at  Saco  in  1831,  at  Hallo- 
well  in  1844,  Biddeford  in  1845,  and  Lewiston  in  1846,  adding 
greatly  to  the  population  and  prosperity  of  those  towns.  At  a 
later  period  factories  were  established  at  Augusta,  Saccarappa, 
Waterville,  and  other  towns,  and  the  annual  production  of  cot- 
ton cloths  in  Maine,  by  the  census  of  1880,  was  144,368,675 
yards,  valued  at  $13,319,363^  and  giving  employment  to  11,864 
persons.  This  product  has  since  been  largely  increased.  Lew- 
iston is  now  the  chief  cotton  manufacturing  city  of  Maine,  hav- 
ing in  1892  over  nine  millions  of  dollars  of  incorporated  capital 
invested  in  its  mills.  The  profits  of  these  investments  are 
chiefly  reaped  by  outside  capitalists  and  do  not  enrich  the  State, 
but  the  disbursements  for  labor  and  improvements  add  a  very 
considerable  item  to  the  annual  income  of  its  people.  The  ad- 
vantage of  applying  home  capital  now  largely  invested  abroad, 
to  this  branch  of  manufacture  is  beginning  to  be  appreciated, 
-and  has  led  to  the  establishment  of  a  home  mill  at  Lewiston. 

Among  other  manufactures  which  diversify  the  industry  of 
Maine  are  her  machine  shops,  which  turn  out  various  products, 
ifrom  farming  tools  to  locomotives ;  her  factories  for  the  utilizing 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


676 


■of  her  woods  in  various  forms ;  hor  shoe  factories  which  have 
gathered  in  and  largely  increased  the  scattered  industry  of  the 
roadside  shoeshops,  giving,  in  1880,  employment  to  3,919  per- 
«ons,  with  a  product  of  $5,828,541 ;  and  her  paper  mills,  the 
largest  of  which,  established  at  Cumberland  Mills,  in  the  town 
of  Westbrook,  has  built  up  u  model  village,  which,  together  with 
the  neighboring  village  of  Saccarappa,  promises  to  grow  into  a 
busy  and  prosperous  manufacturing  city. 

LABOR. 

In  1880  the  manufactories  of  Maine  numbered  4,481,  employ- 
ing 62,964  persons,  and  yielding  an  annual  product  of  $79,829,- 
793.  These  establishments  have  given  a  new  direction  to  the 
■employment  of  the  people,  originally  almost  exclusively  engag- 
•ed  in  lumbering,  fishing,  soa  faring  and  agriculture.  They  have 
largely  changed  their  pursuits  from  out-door  labor  to  sedentary 
employments,  less  conducive  to  health,  and  have  brought  in  a 
large  foreign  element. 

The  necessity  of  self-help  and  self-protection  has  led  the 
operatives  to  unite  in  labor  organizations,  whose  measures, 
though  not  always  wise  and  well-considered,  have  at  least  call- 
ed public  attention  to  the  need  of  laws  for  their  protection,  and 
led  to  beneficial  legislation  regulating  the  hours  of  labor  of 
women  and  children,  and  giving  to  the  latter  an  opportunity  to 
obtain  some  schooling. 

In  1886  a  State  Bureau  of  Industrial  and  Labor  Statistics  was 
established,  and  the  report  of  the  Commissioner  for  1888  con- 
tains some  valuable  information  concerning  the  condition  of  the 
manufacturing  population.  Eight  boot  and  shoe  factories,  em- 
ploying 1,197  men  and  413  women,  report  the  weekly  earnings 
of  the  men  $11.17;  annual  earnings  $499.25.  Boys  and  girla 
earn  $4.60  per  week.  Fifteen  per  cent  of  the  employes  own 
homes.  Eleven  cotton  mills,  employing  4,402  men,  6,438  wom- 
en, 239  boys  under  fifteen  years,  and  178  girls  under  fifteen,  re- 
port the  weekly  earnings  of  men  $8.46 ;  annual  earnings,  $433 ; 
weekly  earnings  ofiboys,  $3.45 ;  of  girls  $3.59.  Percentage  own- 
ing homes,  li  per  cent.  Fourteen  woolen  mills,  employing  890 
men,  649  women,  26  boys  under  fifteen,  and  13  girls  under  fif- 
teen, report  weekl/  earnings  of  men  $9.18 ;  annual  earnings, 
$602.00;  weekly  earnings  of  women,  $7.17:  annual  earninga, 
$863.00 ;  weekly  earnings  of  boys,  $4.64 ;  of  girls,  $4.19.    Per- 


676 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


centage  owning  homes,  15  per  cent.  While  no  general  system 
of  relief  prevails,  many  employers  are  disposed  to  be  liberal 
toward  their  faithful  employes  who  have  fallen  into  distress 
while  engaged  in  their  service.  The  percentage  of  minors  from 
12  to  15  employed  in  sixty-four  cotton,  woolen,  and  boot  and 
shoe  factories  is  but  2i,  of  minors  from  15  to  16  is  5  per  cent 
of  the  whole  number  employed.  The  tendency  is  to  reduce  the 
number  of  children  employed  in  factories.  The  law,  requiring 
children  employed  in  them  to  have  at  least  sixteen  weeks  school- 
ing in  each  year,  has  increased  the  attendance  in  school,  in  man- 
ufacturing districts,  from  5  to  10  per  cent. 

Many  factory  employtis  have  sums  deposited  in  savings  banks, 
varying  in  amounts  from  |300  to  |2,6U0.  In  1891  the  total 
deposits  in  the  savings  banks  of  Maine,  in  round  numbers, 
amounted  to  $50,000,000,  and  there  were  146,668  depositors,  or 
nearly  one  in  every  five  of  tke  inhabitants.  114,889  represent- 
ed a  deposit  of  less  than  |500. 

These  facts  go  to  show  that  while  there  is  yet  room  for  im- 
provement in  the  condition  of  the  manufacturing  class,  they  are, 
on  the  whole,  able  to  earn  fair  wages  and  to  maintain  comfort- 
able homes,  while  by  thrift  and  economy  they  can  lay  aside 
something  for  their  support  in  sickness  and  old  age. 


BAILBOADS. 

The  resources  of  Maine  are  made  available  by  her  railroads. 
They  facilitate  transportation  of  products  and  open  new  regions 
to  the  settler  and  the  tourist.  The  systems  now  in  operation 
have  sprung  into  existence  within  the  past  forty  years. 

The  first  railroad  in  Maine,  connecting  Bangor  with  Oldtown 
for  the  transportation  of  lumber,  went  into  operation  in  1836. 
The  Portland,  Saco  and  Portsmouth  railroad  was  chartered  in 
1837,  completed  in  1842,  leased  to  the  Eastern  Railroad  in  1871, 
and  with  the  latter  came  under  the  management  of  the  Boston 
and  Maine  Railroad  in  1884.  This  system,  comprising  two 
routes  from  Portland  to  Boston,  now  also  controls,  by  perpetual 
lease,  the  Portland  and  Rochester,  opened  to  the  Saco  river  in 
1851,  and  later  extended  to  Rochester,  N.  H. 

The  Androscoggin  and  Kennebec  and  the  Penobscot  and  Ken- 
nebec were  chartered  in  1845,  completed  in  1848  and  1855 

raa>\onfiTr^lTr    nrk«anliflaf orJ  in   1  Rfi9.  iiniffir^         '  h  fhft  Pnrf.lanri  nnrl 

Kennebec  in  1871,  forming  two  trunk  lines  from  Portland  to 


I  > 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE,  677 

,?a  t/f  aT       •^°'"^'"'^^'°"  ^^  r^il^-o^^lB  commands  tife   .reater 
part  of  Maine,  connecting  Portland   bv  n>.«  i;,,.  n  ,  ^,,^ 

wick,  wUh  August,.,  the'cpital  of  he  "t  ^'a  J  t!  '  ""* 
line  with  Lowiston  and  Watfirvnio  of  i-  i  i  .  "-X ''"" ^'tner 
two  „„Ue  i„  a  ,,,0  to  uI^Tl^;  I'^eo'ttg^^^lr '„'.': 

fvi  fofCLrrM^^^f  give,  approach  t„^ho  h,,i';:  t'.a 

XI.  o.     uy  way  ot  the  Knox  and  L  ncohi    from  R^tK  f-  n     i 
la..d,  oouneotion  «  „,ade  with  steame,^   'u„  ""^  ^  t  .' 

.ea-aide  .eaort,  Mt.  Desert,  and  by  an  exte,  Z  of  t  „%f " 

affoi  ,.at  oo„:;i,fo:t  th'tr;^  ;r '"-'''''  »■-' 

thotzrn  ifrt/rn^wrrntr- ^^^^^^^^^^ «-  -- 
.■un„u,g  f.o™  p„n,a„a  i„  tit  :t  '::/„f:zr:r.r:r 

cuy  the  winter  port  of  Canada  and  the  North'vel  ^  """ 

Ihe  total  length  of  these  railroad  systems  in  Maine  1892 
including  horse  ra  Iroads  in  Portland    A„l,.„      ,  '         ' 

VVaterviile,  was  1,210.08  n:^  ISSstl'  ™'i,es"™rV>  "1 

were  built  in  Mtiino    ^i  •  i  ^^  "*  railroad 

wiZt/  rthe''  '1'™"^'  Yr  ^^'-.  "^-  -    lew 
wiu  lonnd  out  the  systems  in  the  Southern  portion  of  the  Sf,t. 

There  remains  the  great  northern  wilderness   so  lonl^.' 

ummproved,  a  forest  land  full  of  great  rcso„.ces       1  el^bi  f 

-.i»e  to  its  ;i^^-;:;n:t\LS-::s:::f;::™ 


678 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


line  from  Yokolmmrt  to  Liverpool,  by  tiie  shortest,  quickest,  and 
clieiipeat  route.  L  is  destined  to  work  a  revolution  in  the  route 
of  trade  between  Australia,  Japan  and  China,  and  England, 
Germany,  France  and  the  North  Sea  countries. 

In  passing  through  the  undovelopjd  portion  of  Maine  it  not 
only  opens  up  the  grandest  scenery,  at  many  points  wild  and 
picturesque,  develops  industries  and  gives  access  to  new  agri- 
cultural regions,  but  suggests  great  possibilities  in  the  way  of 
extending  the  western  trade  of  Portland  and  other  ports  having 
safe  and  capacious  harbors  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  to  whi»h 
access  will  be  had  by  connecting  lines. 

The  little  village  of  Brownville,  in  Piscataquis  county,  has 
become  the  headquarters  of  the  Eastern  division  of  the  line  and 
is  destined  to  become  an  important  center  of  operations.  One 
hundred  and  forty-five  miles  of  this  road  run  through  Maine 
and  it  is  thoroughly  built,  having  all  steel  rails. 

t 

PLEASURE  TRAVEL. 

These  railroad  systems,  by  through  trains,  designed  for  pleas- 
ure travel,  give  ready  access  from  the  great  sea-coast  cities  and 
the  far  West  to  the  lakes,  the  seaside  resorts  and  the  waters  of 
the  pure,  health  giving  springs  of  Maine,  which  constitutes  one 
of  the  great  natural  resources  of  the  State.  These,  together 
with  the  bold  scenery  of  the  coast  and  the  lake  regions  attract 
an  ever  increasing  multitude  of  summer  visitors  whose  expen- 
ditures add  largely  to  the  revenues  of  the  people. 

In  the  spring  sportsmen  find  salmon  fishing  on  the  Penobscot 
and  excellent  trout  fishing  in  the  Rangeley  and  Moosehead 
lakes,  with  good  accommodations  in  the  camps  and  hotels  upon 
their  shores.  As  the  Lot  weather  comes  on  the  pent-up  deni- 
zens of  the  great  cities  of  the  Middle  and  Western  States  flock 
to  the  breezy  seaside  retreats  of  Maine,  which  have  come  to  be 
considered  "  the  summer  playground  of  America.  " 

At  Portland  they  find  a  center  of  pleasure  travel,  combining 
all  the  advantages  of  city  and  seaside  life.  Casco  Bay,  a  beau- 
tiful land-locked  sheet  of  water,  with  its  one  hundred  and  fifty 
wooded  islands,  dotted  with  summer  cottages  and  hotels,  made 
auces^ble  by  numerous  pleasure  steamers,  is  close  at  hand.  Old 
Orchard,  with  the  finest  bathing  beach  in  America,  is  but  twelve 

,.-:i„.    .K. .*.,.,«■         Pr.l.>r.fl   SnvinfT     with   its    lipnl  fll-ori  villOf   Waters,   is 

within  easy  access  by  rail.     The  White  Hills  of  New  Ilamp- 


I  I 


THE  mSTORT  OF  MAINS, 


679 


•hue.  reached  by  rail  through  one  of  the  wildest  nmuntuia 
passes,  are  but  .hree  or  four  hours  away,  while  all  the  easteru 
resorts,  mcluding  Bar  Harbor,  by  fust  trains  are  brought  within 
easy  reach  The  c.ty  itself  has  an  elevated  site,  coLanding 
magnificent  views  ot  ocean  and  mountain  scenery,  is  supplied 
wxth  pure  water  from  Lake  Sebago,  and  is  well-equipped' wUh 
hotels  oflPering  the  attractions  of  a  summer  home 

by  the  cool  breezes  and  grand  scenery  of  Maine's  ru?ged  and 

bay-uKlented  coast  has  built  up  numerous  seaside  resoffs  where 

wealth  has  lavished  itself  upon  its  summer  homes.     From  its 

solitary  hotel  Old  Orchard  hao  grown  into  a  separate  town, 

crowded  with  hotels  and  summer  cottages,  and  populous  with 

pleasure  seekers  in  the  season.     Bar  Harbor,  which  in  1866  had 

but  one  poor  tavern,  has  become  a  pleasure  city  magnificent  in 

Us  hotels  and  its  luxurious  summer  homes.     The  whole  coast, 

in  all  Its  indentations,  from  Kitteiy  to  Eastport,  and  its  outly- 

ing  islands,  is  seized  upon  by  capitalists  eager  to  take  advantage 

of  the  rise  in  land  and  to  provide  attractive  resorts  for  the  in- 

Aottiing  multitude. 

SUMMARY. 

With  these  natural  resources  and  their  related  industries  the 
people  of  Maine  have  reason  to  be  content  with  their  lot.  Ther 
have  behind  them  a  history  of  successful  endeavor.  Their  cli- 
mate  gjves  them  health  and  vigor.  Their  rugged  soil  compels 
to  thrift  and  industry,  which  ever  bring  their  reward.  Their 
laws  and  customs  tend  to  sobriety  and  uprightness  of  conduct 
The  hardships  of  a  new  land,  still  existing  in  the  West  to 
which  80  many  of  them  have  been  enticed,  are  past  and  g^ne. 
and  hey  have  now  the  benefit  of  long-established  churches 
schools,  colleges,  hospitals,  literary,  social  and  benevolent  in! 
8  itutions  which  ameliorate,  adorn  and  elevate  the  life  of  a  peo- 
pie«  *• 


\  . 


POPULATION,  POLLS  AND  ESTATES,  f880and  1890, 


ANDROSCOOOiy  COUNTY. 

ISNO. 

PopuMlm.    PolU.  KUaU,,  Population 

Ka^Li..r.oro..:  f.S        i?,  J    ,«  /'^a 

r*:f®,°* >'00         271)  304  200  mA 

f««'"; 1, 10 J         840  4i54sn  ^ 

Li.er™ore.:::;;;;  i^S}    |g  ''iKS  ?•!?? 

J^a:::-::::::iJ2    fij  S  J'«" 

Turner .        2  MS        fljo  ^^^'S^'I  ^'^^'^ 

'^*'*»^ «.0'2    10,;U2    $2O,77O,07S  ^^ 

^     ,,  AftOOSTOOK  COUNTY. 

-^-^^'y-- 432         109  144  470  Aon 

Ashland 505         iaq  ,,,.%,,  *20 

Bancroft....              1^     "    ^^  "'^-T^J  608 

Blaine ..         So         m  I'^lm  «" 

Bridffewater 722         IM  iS'Z  2«^ 

Cari  boil 2  750         527  o2^'o2^  '"'' 

Dyer  Brook::::::      172        ^'  ^^'^^  4,087 

Knston qqjc         iqi  ««  .„,  221 

Fort  Fahfleld          2,857         M2  .<^'^?f  ^'^ 

Fort  Kent....          l^Vo         ^Z  -^^^AU  3,520 

Fronohville           :  fe'if         ?g  72,600  i,8:ie 

Grand  I»le 'il?         ?IJ  lO^'^'?^  2,560 

{jrr'!:« I   H  2S  z 

HodRdon    :::•:, i^g    a!?  ,?.^',1?S  ^-^^ 

Inland  Fall,....  ;:%'#         '^^  72.V69  4,015 

f^?™«8tone 0.55         Hi  SIS  QQo 

Littleton SiJ         ???  l^W  965 

Ludlow 4^         JI4  ffiSO  924 

J{»dfwaska ij§?        JJJ  100,657  875 

Mapleton '705         ioa  rV'iTi  M51 

Mara  Hill 71J        Jg  5.042  833 

JI'««^di8 ^J§         ^J3  71, 077  837 

safe:::::::  ^'JJJ    !g  fli 

S^^n^lr:?^;::  i    i  if  ^« 

If^rrJ^'-::::  ^«    ?!  if  -.SJ 

Smyrna 237           4?  flo'«^o  ^^ 

Washburn 809         1^?  iM?  803 

Van  Buron. .   .        1, ???          g  ??.213  1,097 

Wo=f/^«                      ''^  i:         I8(i  111.670  1  ifta 

wo^iand:: ::::::  079    1??  ?^:is  ^o* 

•MayavlUe,  annexeil  to  Prosque  Islo  1883 

"681 


I  MM. 

PolU. 

2,903 
800 
416 
257 
282 

5,019 
816 
876 
429 
504 
627 
158 
250 


Fttalu. 

$  6,10.5,750 
87.S,249 
49<5,740 
82',),68:) 

au.ooo 

12,144,424 
l,e;)6.4ii 
458,025 
752, » 48 
1,133,800 
761,215 
206,570 
432,447 


12,370    *25,260,330 


95 
160 
72 
78 
174 
234 
876 

226 

747 
252 
639 
164 
78 
42 
296 

097 
SI 

179 

210 

244 

107 

280 

191 

180 
60 


67 
672 

220 

72 

270 

noo 

92 
224 


♦  114,078 
136,433 

72,683 

67,840 

146,101 

284,324 

780,430 

208,705 
893,593 
138,183 
183,303 
162,703 
68,(;8l 
63,783 
259,050 
1,688,450 
111,384 
149,038 
213,008 
269,(;04 
114,247 
167,170 
138,330 
171,40» 
57,150 

261,698 
171,329 

51.183 
993,875 
167,142 

93,334 
215.341 

51,904 
170.012 


582 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


Population.    Polls, 
PijurrATiONS. 

Allagash 2  >J 

Gary 4:3,         74 

Castle  Hill 419^         8& 

Caswell 3m          64 

Chapman 166          42 

Connor 253 

Crystal 275           73 

Cyr 55?           82 

Eigle  Lake 233 

(iiuiibld 8( 

Glenwood 198            3 

Hamlin.... 612          84 

Macwahoc 18T          40 

Morrill...........  206'          37 

Moro IT.          39 

Nashville 3S 

New  Canada 177 

New  Sweden 517         120 

No.  11.  R.  1 413          74 

Oakfleld 638         140 

Oxbow 127          21 

Perhara 346           99 

Portage  Lake 132          29 

Reed 109          28 

Sheridan 85 

Silver  Ridge 229          03 

St.  Francis 299           62 

St.  John 166 

Wade 131          24 

Wallagrass 431          85 

Westfield 103           29 

•Winterville 101 

tTNOROANIZBD  PLACES. 

Letter  A,  R.  2....  7 

Letter  B,  R.  2....  87 

Letter  C,  R.  2....  3 

Letter  D,  R  2  . . .  6 

Letter  E,  R.  2 5 

Molunkus 76 

No.  1,R.  4 6 

No.  1,  R.  5 ,  48 

No.2,R.  2 15 

No.  3,R.  2 

No.  4,  R.  3 2 

No.7,R.5 38 

No.  8,  ft.  5 21 

No.  9,  R.  5 9 

No.  11,  R.  6 80 

No.  12,  R.  13 

tNo,  13,  R.  15....  57 

No.  14,R.  6 12 

No.  14,R.  14 

No.  14.  R.  16 23 

No.  15,  R.  4 

No.  15,  R  6 22 

No.  15,  R.  11 29 

No.  16,15.3 

No.  16,  R.  4 

No.  16,  R.  10 46 

N0.I6.R.II 28 

No.  16,  K.  12 

No.  17,  R.  4 30 

No.  17,  R.  10 49 

•Formorly  No  15,  R.  7. 


1890. 

tales. 

Population. 

Polls. 

Estatei. 

202 

$20,230 

390 

88 

$  37,578 

47,038 

537 

121 

90,758 

^17,379 

212 

41 

35,238 

11,81 

2:U 
5-.'8 

52,505. 

297 

66 

73,739 

28,066 

429 
313 

80 

71 

63,299 

, 

28,845 

1S3 

88,037 

484 

72 

72,939 

25,917 

216 

65 

36,19:{ 

15,60i 

214 

56 

64,396 

46,693 

199 

55 

58,407 

% 

34 

- 

301 

22,041 

.707 

108 

107,832 

20,23C 

41.100 

720 

157 

105,177 

18,911 

04 

31,01} 

138 

112 

113,011 

23,0li 
45,451 

140 

203 

221 

16,661 

195 

66 

43.200 

20,840 

461 
226 

84 

38,650 

10,165 

158 

22,040 

595 

106 

49  654 

34,426 

168 

72 

12 

109 

7 

20 
77 
11 
62 

12 

17 

23 

8 

7 
28 
19 

1 
23 
52 
10 
43 
«6 

9 
49 
13 
35 

tFormnrly  Se'-en  Islands. 


THE  niSrOBY  OF  MAINE.  583 

"**••  1S90 

N0.17.R.11....''?'"'"S"    "'""*■  ^''^''-  Population.    Pons.'       Mstates. 

No.  18,R.  10 44  ^^A 

Timber  and  grass  *" 
on  public  lots 

^"'^^^'^ds 2.339,098  ,  "^-Sf^ 

— —^.  _^___ 0,oU),Oa-t 

'^"*"^ -'^'^^^  ^'^3^  *'.564.932  49.589  I^  $1^4^^^ 

CUMBERLAND  COUNTY. 

il'K:::::::::  S  g?  ??Ki  "f^  ^29  $  38..oi(> 

Brmrswick....        5i84  1  loS  2'( Mi  .?'^?^  ^"^'^  l,24.i  3U8 

Cape  Elizabeth...  5  3^  1,S  fsoo'lS  Mo  i'L^?!  ^^'""^001 

Casco '00^  ''g^  'S259  'fti5  M'^,  2,32«,470 

Cumberland 1,619  415  t^irn  ^^it  ^^^  28!»,5f)7 

Deering 432"  1108  2  5S-.'S  H^l  ,  ^'^^  «93 199 

F'-ilmouth I62I  ''JS  '769  4TO  ?"So  ^'^^^  ''^'''^^'^^-^^ 

Freeport 2  279  569  OToms  o'foS  i^^  936.047 

««rham .....3,23.?  756  l..?98'524  I's^  V^  l'^*^"^''^ 

Gray 1 703  41s  572199  7^  !^  l,5i)0,03.<} 

Harpsv^-ell 1773  436  Srt^?  J'^il  ^"^  634  552 

Harrison J    fig  34$  o??^  W  454  615  003 

Naples 1007  280  1^'mI  MB  ^22  438  168 

New  Gloucester      1S2  427  stS  ,1^5  ^80  267  878 

S'e,^— .'.■::  SI  ii  '«  pi  S5S 

?o°Sv:;::;;;.-«  «S  -III  ^'l  »,IS  s,,Si1 

?asn..-,;;.:;::  IS  |  /I  i§5  S:^S 

Standish 2.035  671  JS'm  1  SJ  ^?i  ^^^'<^^-* 

^---*^ ^_^j^  SI  SI  Sis? 

^"**^ ^«'^»    21.539    $51,530,510  90,949    ^^    $"^70^^ 

FRANKLIN  COUNTY. 

;^7^" 571  140  $129,343  430  ion  e    101-7^0 

Carthage 507  199  in?  S97  o^^  -^^O  $   131,748 

Chestervillo....          95:  249  ffiS  f?^  '^''^  8"'^07 

Eustis 302  87  Ma  H?  ^04  275,522 

Farmington 3.353  87!)  1  floi '^1  o  ?li  ^*^  »3,067 

Freeman .      549  128  UuVA  ^^T,  »«*  1,839  9!.9 

Industry m  186  SIS  ^^^  ^^^  131,80:{ 

Jay..... liSi  S  3sS?  i^if  ^-"^  '17-21-3 

Kingfleld 454  122  no  no-  ^'"^^  ^^^  «->'.>^4i 

Madrid....  :::  IS  III  M«  ,^?j  ^-^^  272,9-1 

NewSharon...       1,300  .388  4?S'm?  ,11  IfS  69,.o3.). 

New  Vineyard...        788  2^1  202'^?  ^'^i,  fJ,  ^"'^^.oio 

Phillips . . : 1  437  379  447'on?  ,  o',^?  201  iy8,6:>  I 

?WW :-/1g  S?  g  1.     .  387  5.7,8.3 

Temple....                  S  1?0  S5!?  5^1  ^^^  24!..4ll 

Weld. .....1040  317  9M,  fJ^  ^^4  140.l.'i7 

Wilton :;:::S  !S  S  i,  ^  SS 

PLANTATIONS.  '  *°'  089,424 

W" 79  18  31,5.57  M  . 

P*"''^^-: 145  37  19  7W  m 

Greenvale 50  10  i:;  851  M 

I^«"erE 27  8  ufil  g 


584 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAIXE. 


Population. 

Perkins 134 

Rangeley 64 

UNINCOKPORATED  TLACES. 

Chain  of  Ponds. . 

Jerusalem 21 

Lang 81 

Letter  D  5 

Lowell 3 

Mt.  Abram 

No.  1,  Kange3. ... 

No.  4,  Range  2  .. .         2 

No.  4,  KangoS....        12 

No.  6 69 

Reddington 

Sandjr  River 50 

Washington 32 

Timber  and  grass 
on  public  lots. . 

Wild  Lands 

Total 

18,180 


ISMO. 

PolU. 
27 
13 


Estates. 
.$  22,067 
10,408 


1S90. 

Populatlnn.    Polls. 
04 
58 

7 

18 
51 

49 
8 

9 

25 

26 
28 
45 
29 


340,746 


EstatM, 


$l,069,4r)0 
24,69.") 


4,791     §6,153,612 


17,053      4,711      $7,479,209 


HANCOCK  COUNTY. 


Amherst 400 

Aurora 212 

Bluehill 2,213 

Brooklin 977 

Brooksville 1,419 

Bucksport 3,047 

Castine 1,215 

Cranberry  Isles. . .      343 

Deer  Isle 3,266 

Dedham 406 

Eden 1,029 

Ellsworth 5,052 

Estabrook 289 

Franklin 1,102 

Crouldsborough  . .  1,825 

Hancock 1,093 

IsleauHaut 274 

Lamoine 74!) 

Mariavillo 382 

Mt.  Desert 1,017 

Orland 1,689 

Otis 304 

Penobscot 1,341 

Sedgwick 1,128 

Sullivan 1,023 

Surry 1,184 

Tremont 2,011 

Trenton 639 

Verona 350 

Waltham 296 

PLANTATIONS. 

Long  Island 150 

No.  7 89 

Swan  (and   other 

Islands) 765 

VNORQANIZED  I'LAOES, 

Hog  Island 17 

No.  8 

No.  10 

No.  21 61 


122 

54 
537 
273 
344 
852 
299 

98 
804 

90 

330 

1,214 

64 
289 
493 
286 

76 
185 
112 
243 
4.35 

88 
335 
302 
245 
309 
507 
171 
103 

95 

44 
20 

130 


$  72,524 

41,9.53 
449,497 
142,359 
207,443 
1,057,.':'"  0 
362,754 

52,063 
373,182 

98,303 

622,901 

1,456,306 

63,681 
178,220 
225,244 
177,534 

32,756 
148,333 

81,804 
160,803 
358,325 

34,725 
215,437 
188,005 
193,477 
212,582 
301,419 
ni,817 

50,073 

78,154 

22,291 
15,502 

49,856 


375 

175 

1,980 

1,046 

1,310 

2,921 

987 

330 

3,422 

366 

1,946 

4,804 

246 

1,264 

1.709 

1,190 

206 

726 

271 

1,355 

1,390 

239 

1,313 

1,012 

1,379 

986 

2,036 

528 

323 

242 

132 
50 


115 

71 
530 
234 
329 
768 
234 
114 
932 
107 
682 
1,500 

71 
315 
521 
290 

51 
181 

87 
354 
423 

69 
346 
293 
393 
2(J7 
582 
153 

90 

81 

42 


632    137 


81 

23 
63 


$  113,853 

62,783 
539,042 
175,029 
220,008 
1,113,137 
348,566 
104,893 
510,912 

96,021 
5,0.34,958 
2,200.177 

64,606 
29.1,461 
398,208 
337,446 

62,129 
238,788 

75,177 
570,005 
347.336 

43,776 
266,655 
200,204 
625,921 
212,499 
635,979 
144,252 

69,245 

78,732 

25,273 


95,091 


THE  UIHTORY  OF  MAINE. 


585 


******  tsoo 

^O   23                   ^'^»'-;^-    ^olls.  BUates.  Populate.    Polls. '        Estate,. 

No:32::;.*:;:;::::   25  g 

No.33,Mid.  Div..      118  if? 

No.89 ij  \^ 

Timber  and  grass 
on  public  lots. . 

Wildlands $377.478  \]^'^ 

^°*** ^'129      9,560  $8,274,9(5  3"^  I^  $7^5^; 

KEI^NEBEC  COUNTY. 

"^^^io°- 1,191         34.5  $.370,501  1,042  297  *  am  Koi 

^"g»«ta 8.H01      1,762  5,168  964  10  627  2  412  %W>im 

g«lf'i'^« 1,321         341  '493  631  l,'o90  361  'Iti'SS 

^?°*«n 1,173         323  376  601  S  327  So'S? 

^'^?lso»- 1,5.37         179  200  738  2,S  223  IMi 

^hma 1,760         493  571.203  Vm  412  ws'l?! 

glmton....   1,665         423  686,561  i  518  427  fiS'7^9 

Farmingdale 789         223  .387  842  821  224  ?m'So 

^^yete 765         217  274,502  649  193  IK? 

gafdmer 4,439      1,171  2,379  129  5,491  1548  3  S??8 

Hallowell 3,154         533  l  oil  Vift  qiqT  ato  f,^o8,318 

Litchfield 1.3?5         382  ''S.asS  ?'S  350  ''3S'?^2 

Manchester 623         Iso  21)1200  'JI2  m  mtm 

Monmouth 1,523         486  909  042  1,362  444  mAA 

Mt-  Vernon 1,170         320  393,:581  'So  319  K?? 

S^kland 1,647         453  661157  2,044  542  1  m  3S 

EeadfieKv.::::::  1,243    311  499,089  ;  ig  |g'??j 

^.«™« ,606         1 74  129,857  '5OO  150  102  117 

fi^nay 1,,396         435  579,764  1,334  356  59"    23 

Vassalborough...  1,021         800  1,188  080  2,052  576  9?2'- S 

X'T°^^ 644         176  '167  316  '495  14.3  ?S2'724 

WaterviUe 4,672      1,042  2,612496  7,107  1872  5  IKo"! 

Wayne..       9.50         2.50  338  802  '775  '217  '%'& 

West  Gardiner...      977         261  325  220  853  2  3  307'S 

Windsor 1,079         279  302  088  853  253  |2nS 

Wnislow 1,467         409  503  269  1,814  4.M  0?. 'S 

Winthrop.               2,146         619  1,125,317  2,'lll  ill  1  ?[S 

Unity  plantation.. 61^          15  14,088  '62  21  '  18;291 

^°**^ 53,058    13,252    $23,292,164  57.012  14,765    $30,911,202 

KNOX  COUNTY. 

^PP^eton 1,348        3.37  $320,664  1,080  315  •3isosrt 

;,Camden 4,388      1,233  1,070.536  4,621  1378  2  7rt3'Sn? 

^H«'""gv 805         215  '115474  '688  'l95  'iKJ 

Pnondship 9.38         253  157  165  877  247  \mf2i 

Hope. a30         237  211985  641  205  Sl'fiS 

Hurncanelsle....      220         204  40  028  266  95  ItSS? 

North  Haven 755         195  131652  W  iq?  i-?'a«« 

«««,V^»'/ ;..  7,599      2,318  2,551:^9  S,??!  2,J?J  4 .70 '5?? 

feouth  Thoraaston  1,771         441  '32I  861  1  .534  4  8  'Ss  OS? 

St.  George 2,875         687  523  266  2  491  698  iS'S 

Thomaston 3,017         723  2,202  211  3,009  653  1 S  mn 

Union 1,548         407  '597  330  1  «5  417  'So'o2? 

X'"^"'-'^^«° 2,855         783  470  514  26  7  640  SOS'S^ 

Wan-en.     2,166         563  789  820  2,037  517  873  398 

Washington             1,249         290  294  551  1,230  334  324  438 

Matinicus  Isle  pi.      243           flsi  oo'-uot  'fn"  ^^*  ^:?^'??8 

Muscle  Kidge pi..      258           73  321273  24  "''  ^''' 

"r^**^ •^2,803      9,087    $10,878,736  31,473    11924    $13,150,997 

•Set  olT  from  IMttston  March  4, 1887.  f  Inchullng  Uockport. 


686 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


tsso. 

PopulaUlon,  Polls.  Estates.            Population. 

LINCOLN  COUNTY. 

Alna 687  195  $200,339  612 

Boothbay 3,575  925  709,760  1,718 

•Boothbay  Harb'r  1,099 

Bremen 839  229  190,387  719 

Bristol 3,196  872  689,159  2,821 

Damarisootta 1,142  312  592,208  1,012 

Dresden 1,032  327  326,665  1,043 

Edgecomb 872  216  189,440  749 

Jefferson 1,590  448  459,287  1,391 

Monhegan  Island.      133  39  10,305  90 

Muscongns  Island     133  123 

Newcastle 1,282  397  827,108  1,282 

Nobleborough. . . .  1,142  319  239,295  947 

Somerville 639  147  106,235  453 

Southport 679  178  132,350  633 

Waldoborough...  3,758  1,087  1,135,023  3,505 

Westport 612  io3  100,4.35  451 

Whitefield 1,611  392  440,974  1,215 

Wiscasset 1,847  514  319,773  1,733 

Total 24,821  6,750  $6,634,693  21,996 

OXFOiiD  COUNTY. 

Albany 693  1T9  $139,029  645 

Andover 780  209  122,252  740 

Bethel 2,077  697  738,586  2,209 

Brownfleld 1,229  325  252,346  1,134 

Buckfleld 1,379  309  397,598  1,200 

Byron 191  59  39,000  180 

Canton 1,029  272  367,693  1,303 

Denmark... 904  270  305,185  755 

Dixfleld 913  251  320,265  988 

Fryeburg 1,633  440  796,322  1,418 

Gilead 293  94  72,364  336 

Grafton 115  22  25,857  98 

Greenwood 838  217  149,073  727 

Hanover 203  67  64,124  212 

Hartford 863  229  300,975  689 

Hebron 601  146  189,113  600 

Hiram 1,452  367  393,116  1,063 

Lovell 1,077  316  305,632         '       853 

Mason 94  26  27,446  80 

Mexico 403  109  105,618  355 

Newry 337  119  90,663  343 

Norway 2,519  645  8«9,803  2,665 

Oxford 1,655  405  483,246  1.455 

Paris 2,031  779  985,274  3,156 

Peru 825  2.31  247,160  092 

Porter 1,095  307  279,3.59  1,015 

Roxbury 175  43  23,201  222 

Rumford 1,006  297  351,119  808 

Stoneham 475  119  68,.381  322 

Slow 401  104  128,202  291 

Sumner 1,014  283  310.9S5  901 

Sweden 474  141  158,406  3.38 

Upton 245  58  43,783  232 

Waterford 1,161  349  338,987  1,001 

Woodstock 952  248  106,035  859 

PLANTATIONS. 

Pr-anklin, !59  42  26,110  112 

lincoin!'... !..."!        52  16  17i972  59 

M.agalloway 45  79 

Milton 270  62  40,966  211 

♦Set  off  from  Boothbay  Feb.  16, 188!), 


1890. 

Polls. 

Estates. 

160 

$  210.31.5 

473 

490,  (}38 

420 

639,344 

223 

183,840 

735 

7I4,.5»0 

299 

631,623 

296 

407,734 

205 

185,17a 

376 

511,550 

36 

11,616 

337 

773,647 

309 

240,109 

127 

94,88;^ 

153 

299,155 

949 

1,196,615 

134 

101.385 

359 

445,750 

461 

6.39,324 

6,051 

$7,668,148 

196 

$  139,857 

201 

170,696 

635 

782,067 

320 

319,933 

358 

377.891 

62 

39,187 

350 

4n,589' 

238 

286,392 

287 

306,662 

453 

841,294 

105 

145,451 

24 

70,354 

197 

141,917 

66 

82,828 

203 

295,327 

162 

194,428 

340 

3.55,451 

278 

391,298 

24 

29,108 

104 

105,083 

108 

100,005 

732 

1,181,797 

394 

457,128 

949 

1,267,107 

212 

207,240 

316 

282,695 

49 

28,882 

251 

362,164 

107 

06,455 

83 

120,717 

259 

275,003 

118 

135,621 

74 

61,404 

321 

312,041 

253 

211,38T 

66 


56,120 


THE  HISTORY  OF  MAINE. 


587 


18SO.  1800> 

Population.    Poll,.  Ettatei.  Population.    PolU.'  Estates 

CNOROANIZED  PLACES.  . 

Andover    N.    and 

W.  Surplus aa 

Batchelder's  Gr't.  ffl 
Fryeburg   Acade- 
my Grant 22  o^ 

No.  5,  R.  4 "3 

Public  lots **  a  10 -TO  • 

llicbardsontown..         7  *  lc,7P 

Riley's  Grant 40  ao 

Township  C AS 

^^"^  ^-^« __^  875.185 

'^^**^ 32,627  8,810    $10,058,554  30,586  8,885  mj^ijl^} 

PENOBSCOT  COUNTY. 

p;:::;:::::::  i?  '&  »  Sg  lg  'g!  » IS 

KS::::::::::  3,f,1  ??J  JS  ^  ,1  Ji 

Burlington 536  128  89  041  '46O  13I  'lS2 

gS:::::::::::  ^f2?  5?^  f?ai  ST  i  if 

Clifton 350  08  S  |g  ^12  M^ 

Corinna j^aS  880  421^9  l,i7  2^  4?8'587 

Corinth 1,333  881  439  036  1  nl  ito  tl?'!??! 

Dexter.   2,563  679  S,S  ^sl  7ol  1  ©488 

D'xmont 1,132  824  308176  019  254  'So?? 

EcWington 746  214  128,767  720  219  iSS 

Edinburg 45  n  17 'Tin  ka  vL  loi,979 

Enfield.!...::::  489  m  SilS  41  2I0  sfffi^ 

Etna 895  216  162  209  646  S  ?Kft 

Exeter. 1,274  355  426151  030  ofiO  1^'^ 

Garland 1,211  343  $331690  m  32?  S'ffi 

Clenburn 655  175  138  632  583  166  S'S? 

Greenbush 681  169  91996  650  1«8  «l'^ 

Greenfield 337  02  44940  9^1  ^a  ??'?f^ 

Hampden 2.911  73!  67^??  2  481  600  6  o's?? 

ge™on 1,394  369  399,999  1,282  355  mfm 

Ho'den.  717  200  174,681  609  108  157  ?S 

Rowland 137  42  30  341  1-71  ka  ^^'aa^ 

Hudson 659  185  m'^  llo  m  iSS 

Kenduskeag 650  193  181700  636  170  IotS? 

Kinsman 546  165  75,455  671  153  mitl 

Lasrange 721  188  202  673  721  211  u\m 

Lee... 894  220  109,953  020  250  isS 

L?vant. 1,076-  279  282  149  880  275  270070 

^ov,en 43d  116  65,406  4.SQ  i9q  'jnnui 

Mattawamkeag...     456  122  jV.jfs  S  1?1  J^^fi 

Medway.-:::::::::  Jll  i&'  7%'^  Mi  ,??  ,^^'1 

K;::::::::J^  ^?t  ig  I  i  ff 

?ewburg 1,057  304  275;i02  867  2ftO  ot^in 

iSuwpon; i,40t  397  378  16!4  1  is«  Qia  JnVoni, 

«l'lTown 3:395  499  528  S  H?2      1 S*!  1  m'S? 

Orono 2,245  658  512  624  2  700  nm  ^i^i-'o. 

^'•■•in.fon     1,529  449  4^5  893  1.406  m  loAm 

Passadumkeag....      302  78  42;662  343  93  ^%l 


588 


■^HE  HISTORY  OF  M.UNK. 


1  M^0<  I  f^^A 

-Poff                         PoiM^n.    Polls.       E,tale,.  Population.    Poll,.'        Estate, 

Wtnn  8'1s  S             n'f-^                ^"^'^         202           17 1, .(30 

„"" '*•'**  202            10J,304                936         242            i;)2  7;Jfl 

PLANTATIONS.  -^      '  '  *" 

pi?.^--- ,:••      137  20             33,335                no 

Indian  Towmsliip.        U  '                         V 

Lakeville....               130  .34             48,608                ])4 

Mattamiscontis...        64  15             12,878                  47           18             14  S02 

•'•'"•■' •           Vi  1(11                                           ' 

No.2,Gr  ndFalla       93  23             23,822                  08 

No.  2,  R.  3 9  ' 

No.  2,  K.  6 20  90 

No.  3,R.  1 12  ^ 

No.3,R.7 95 

No.  4,R.  7... J 

No.5,R.7 15  .  T 

N0.6,  R.  7 21  i 

No.8,R.7 9 

Publio  lots 01  ftoQ 

*Sebois j)8                         ^''^-^ 

Stacyville 184  45             20,302                250 

Township  A,  R.  7.        23  50 
Townships  in  R. 

6,7,8 jg 

^^I'ster.        118  20             33,129                135 

Whitney  Ridge. . .        17 

Wild  Lands 1  a'i- p-n 

WoodviUe _if.__50  31,937                212           55          '^\M 

Total 70,470    17,407    $21,403,151  72,803    19^035    $28,o23,0J4 

PISCATAQUIS  COUNTY. 

4?,''."* <'»'»  183         $  174,669                622         200        $  177,289 

Atkinson. 82^  190           180,902                605         ISO           180  754 

Blanchard 167  46            .30.424                213           56             51658 

Brownville 89.5  210           2i2,452             1,074         307           r,26,605 

^o^'^i--;; l/i87  452           574,941  .          1,942         550           674  178 

^o^«^o" 1.263  287           394,67-.             1,726         385           485  072 

^^•«f"^»"« 5.^0  239           253,578                781         195           316.784 

S»>1|0"J SSI  112             91,121              1,021          288            399.979 

Bedford 3!)8  89             52,885                306           80             65.735 

^I'lf^    9-!-l  236            201,438              1,029          305            818  491 

^onson 827  208           159,401             1,237         396           214  188 

g'-'ieville 501  117             73,730                492         139             84  6,-0 

Parkman. 1,003  285           249,211                813         197           210  219 

Sangerville 1,047  299           291,603             1,2^6         345           444  398 

Sebec 876  227           179,940             •  723         189           180103 

^}''}'}?y-: 253  59            50,973                291           82             73,S69 

Wellington 647  166           116,712                584         170           109,390 

Wi   lamsburg....      235  50             28,275                162          37             29,987 

Wilhmantic 267  446         138           110,576 

PLANTATIONS. 

Barnard...     139  IQO                         42,000 

Katahdin    Iron  . 

Works 193  70 

Bovverbank 80  87                          55,100 

Burbank 23 

"tChesuncook 82  66 

♦Formerly  No.  3,  B.  8.  f  Formerly  No.  5,  n.  13. 


TIIK  IIlaTOllY  OF  MAINE. 


58d 


18MO. 

Polls. 


Estates, 


47         $    23,241 


1,913,510 


Population, 

Day's  Acad.  Grant       12 

Elliotsvillo 55 

Gore  A,  No.  2 

Kingsbury log 

Lilly  Bay 13 

Mt.  Kineo -m 

N.  E,  Carry 

No.  1,K.  13 

No.  1,  R.  14 7 

No.  8,  R.  13 8 

No.  4,  R.  8 6 

No.  G,  R.  4 14 

No.  5,R.9 

No.  7,  R.  13 6 

Public  lots 

Roach  River 13 

Squaw  Mountain. 
Township  A,  R.  14 
Wild  Lands 

Total n,87ii 

SAGADAHOC  COUNTY. 

Arrowsic 255  79 

^^*";--: 7,374  2,265 

Bowdoin. 1,136  344 

liowdoinham 1,681  443 

Georgetown i,080  285 

l^erkuis 73  28 

Phipsburg 1,497  829 

Richmond 2,653  639 

Topsham    1,544  399 

West  Bath 815  92 

Woolwich 1,154  279 

Total 19,272    "5,182 

^"oson ;....  1,555  447 

^.tliens 1,310  841 

Bingham 828  236 

^"g»t?n 585  146 

Cambridge 472  138 

Canaan. 1,231  304 

Concord 406  109 

Cornville 932  272 

Detroit 661  177 

^ml^den 674  169 

Faufleld 8,044  806 

Harmony 881  226 

Hai'tlana 1,047  296 

^{•l*dison    1,815  405 

*MayfleId 141  34 

Mercer 755  jgg 

Moscow 522  133 

New  Portland....  1,271  413 

Norridgewock....  1,491  442 

l^l'^rt ^'27^         347 

Pir.rsfifild  1  o/->n  Ann 

Kipley 550        187 

Skowhesan 3,860      1,015 

Smithfield 664        185 


Population. 
34 
58 
11 
205 
11 
66 
10 
7 

6 


7 
77 
11 


fH»0. 

PolU. 


Estate: 
$    66,120 


138,775 


4,86.",,228 


S,«22  $5,255,748     16,184   4,248   $9,4281^ 


$  86,898 

5,913,192 

394,901 

610,409 

147,824 

37,594 

871,836 

1,221,354 

819,537 

161.431 

532,639 


177 
8,723 

940 
1,508 

849 

69 

1,396 

3,082 

1,394 

307 
1,007 


58 

2,505 

276 

335 

227 

19 

359 

856 

365 

73 

263 


$    91,028 

6,419,481 

298,320 

714,622 

194,413 

45,485 

442,385 

1,658,158 

784,971 

191,776 

518,078 


#10.297,215     19,452   5,336  $11,358,702 


SOMERSET  COUNTY. 


$  585,080 
367,878 
201,471 
71,930 
117,312 
850,573 
95,136 
844,042 
117,019 
171,203 
1,288,582 
189,751 
866,221 
546,077 
17,875 
215,294 
95,142 
460,230 
581,817 
357,461 
ooO,-709 
119,253 
2,033.818 
142,862 
♦Unorganized. 


1,444 
1,072 
737 
434 
425 
1,130 
345 
785 
590 
579 
3,510 
704 
974 
1,815 
74 
584 
422 
1,034 
1,656 
1,004 
2,503 
478 
5,068 
479 


442 

294 

240 

124 

141 

340 

103 

256 

160 

152 

980 

202 

290 

490 

168 
135 
290 
450 
290 
625 
121 
1,411 
140 


$  630,765 
362,840 
219,092 
88,368 
121,283 
393,411 
84,.387 
377,701 
147,284 
272,577 

1,692,630 
209,217 
430,256 

1,016,044 

181,355 

93,678 

389,122 

582,392 

886,']34 

125,739 

4,023,207 

130,019 


590 


THE  HISTORY  OF  M.UNK. 


Population.    Polls.       Estates. 

^^^'^'-s »29         2tfO           312,204 

PLANTATIONS. 

Bald  Mountain. ..  8 

Jl'gelow 

Bowtown.     15 

Cairatunk 173 

Carrving  Place....  m          13              QOSO 

Do  id  River 113           29            22,982 

Doniiistown 73                            ' 

Flagstaff 76          21            41,082 

Hofc::::::::  ''',     ""     ''''^^ 

Jackmantown....  9.1 

Lexington. 322           83            .'58.421 

Long  Pond ' 

Moose  River 102 

Moxie's 

No.  1,R.  1 

No.  1,R.  2 8 

No.  l.R.  7 8 

No.  4,  R.  3 62 

Pleasant  Ridge...  128 

Public  lots 

Sandy  Bay 8 

Tuunton  &  Rain- 
ham 34 

The  Forks 199 

West  Forks 95 

Wild  Lands 1,478,983 

Total 32,833     8,109    $12,128,878 


■  890. 

Population.    Polls, 

977         326 

1,206         334 

7tid        223 


02 

loa 

81 
104 
66 
87 
W 
27 
917 


68 
170 
•11 

80 


108 

81 

7 
195 
146 


Bstites. 
«  3S(J,80l) 
4:il»,aj.5 
290,181 


71 


02,547 


70,856 


8.532.711 


32,627      8,788    $17,550,150 


WALDO  COUNTY. 


Belfast 6  308 

Belmont..  628 

Brooks 877 

Burnham 907 

Prinkfort 1,137 

Freedom 652 

Islesborough 1,208 

Jackson 682 

Knox 852 

Liberty 970 

Lincolnville 1,705 

Monroe ,  1,366 

Montville 1,255 

Morrill 494 

Northport 872 

Palermo l,ii8 

Prospect 770 

Searsraont 1,330 

Snarsport 2,322 

Stockton  Springs.  1,548 

Svvanville 703 

Tliorndike 713 

Troy 1,059 

")"*/ 1,092 

J^'tldo 663 

v»  interport 2,260 

Total 32,463 


1,630 
139 
215 
225 
290 
192 
290 
187 
215 
226 
482 
335 
356 
139 
238 
280 
211 
323 
635 
511 
170 
187 
243 
272 
149 
523 


$2,463,677 
10,329 
229,437 
204,248 
188,815 
177,241  ' 
158,03:{ 
159,315 
218,608 
204,757 
409,296 
310,155 
362,092 
122,098 
190,253 
254,966 
106,224 
305,949 
1,049,662 
401,448 
138,338 
280,033 
263,939 
386,334 
146.02.^ 
658,099 


5,294 

1,421 

475 

142 

730 

207 

846 

238 

1,099 

270 

510 

159 

1,006 

256 

522 

164 

657 

174 

835 

230 

1,361 

374 

1,079 

295 

1,049 

325 

460 

121 

691 

203 

887 

275 

697 

181 

1,144 

346 

1,693 

447 

1,149 

283 

689 

20s 

589 

148 

868 

195 

922 

252 

Rai 

148 

1,920 

554 

$2,973,747 

104,200 

229,.380 

251,204 

202,320 

177,989 

280,721 

178,554 

220,701 

270,0(58 

390,196 

372,11)9 

307,020 

138,:{00 

230,193 

208,847 

174,131 

308,284 

013,831 

318,445 

148,209 

204,803 

271,1.50 

415,384 

■<  F.  .  t  1  r. 

610,816 


8,663   $9,577,834     27,759   7,611  $10,260,456 


THE  inSTOllY  OF  MAINE. 


691 


***"•  1800 

PmUation.    Polls.  Kstate,.  p^^^^_    ^,,,    "  ^^^^^^ 

VVAaHINGTON  COUNTr. 

Biiriug 303  67  7,,'^,.  H*^  »5  64,o-'0 

P'C::-:;:  S  i  €  ,E;SS 

M:m:::::::.S  .g  i:  i  ,|  jS  i'?:fj; 

Columbia 642  101  lais-jj  Vol  ^^^  '>^'.'^'« 

Columbia  Falls...      085  m  K08  S  }!}  l"^'--*"^ 

Crawford 200  48  9i> -.«i  7^„  '°  o»,;>,  I 

Cutler 829  2II  87  ^S  \f.  ^^  3;M)i) 

Deblois li^  2J  ^?Kt{  1.003  269  17»,0.-,3 

EastMachias l,87.t  389  405  w  1  Aof  ^^^  172.5!)? 

E^^tport 4ffi  721  sSS  Iffl  iVA  f-'A\ 

*Eatoii   314  66  88  294  '  '^^  ^"'^''^72 

Edmunds ........     445  07  70  aqT  ««> 

•Forest  City......  ^  '^'^^^  ««  M  69,512 

Harrington 1,290  330  2SS  q7«'  itfl  J^^  71,581 

tJonesborough.         555  iS  SS  ^'i5?  ^'«  275  137 

Jonesport.....          158?  258  lM2  1^?^  "0  140,58J 

Kossuth 'i52  27  Iffxt  ^'^11  ^*  842318 

Lubec 2 109  490  qln  til  o  n^  ^3  39  WO  7 

Machias gs  5.??  fKs  ^'^^  ^^^  829174 

Machiasport 1531  300  Ifli  2S  ?'?i?  '^^  7»8,.333 

Marion.  ......          'i82  50  si'lS  ^'^21  888  205  202 

Marshfleld...             sw  75  flSI  J2  8^  29,018 

Meddybemps              m  54  i'2??  ?f?  f^  62:232 

Milbrfdge.. 1,752  400  804'77fl  1  o«^  .^1  28,533 

Northflold 'l9i  M  3M/?  ^'^^-^  ^75  SSasSU 

Pembroke 2,324  5.37  409443  1  Jf^  o^^  ^^'^^"^ 

Perry I'oi?  224  tKf  ^'^  !  897  817,020 

Talmadge...              'm  25  sS  ??f  ^^^  182  904 

Topsfleld......   :.      440  105  oi'JSS  Si?  ^^  70  902 

Tresoott 652  147  io'So^  51?  78  81593 

Vanceboro 381  89  10^28  11  i'^^  57,<)95 

Waite .        20  43  l\'tm  ?J^  ^41  216,485 

Wesley....   .               245  60  l\'Ti  H2  89  41,695 

Whiting 425  88  8  Am  IV.  "^^  ^2,6  92 

Whitnefville....:      492  l?|  f^ffi  ^f^  89  89,443 

PLANTATIONS.  OyjiJiy 

^"'^y^ille 79  24  4:J,757  72. 

Devereaux 7  '  '* 

Hinpkley 345  40? 

I'"lian 151  404 

JLambertLake...      126  ,^ 

No.  1 127  152 

No.  1,  Range  1....  _ 

J.....  ii;,  n,.,,^oo...        ii  „» 

No.  11,  Ranges...        13  '** 

No.  14,  East.  Div.      164  35  32,639  112 


692 


THE  lUSTOHY  OF  MAINE. 


Population.    PoUi.       Eitai,,  »„     .  -,          ""w- 

No.  18,  East.  Div.        40  PojmlaHon.    I'oiu.         j^,,^,,^ 

No.  li»,  E.  Div                J  y»> 

No.iV:::: '  'i     ^a    $2moj  s? 

No.  27 ;.;;.*     o 

No.  ai 2J 

Public  lots....   ■  n 

^"'^l*""!* g^g^g.  $     24,08a 

„  ,  , ^  '    „  1,132,701 

''"'*' '*•'=*'     *''^     W^».^»^  ^Mi"  I^  ,11;^.^ 

YORK  COUxVTr. 

Afe::::::;::: IS    iJ   »«•]«  .'tj    ;«    ..«,,«« 

Baifo^a::::;:::,St  .?S    ,»'  I  «»"          S'« 

ji"tp„ ::;'S  %'^    W.W  iM«  3,M    7,',lSt 

i»":::::;:;:;:  ,SS    ^       «  'i     ff     -:"! 

&;,t;::;:.iS    gS    ,  S  f    «     SZ 

Keimebunkport..  2  405         65-^           «fl«'Iuo  2'*'^         '^S        1,780  720 

Lebanon I'ooi         iyf           aTA-I  ?'^^'*         ^^4           55-1707 

Limorick....            1253         Vi           QflHiJo  ^'^SS         338           423  529 

Lyman i  004         -ixx           ^7q'^]«  "^'^^         ^35           307,901 

NewHeld....              SJ         ol!           ffi^»  854         188           847,193 

North  Berwick       1,801         ^M           SSI  i  I^         ^40           23    574 

*OId  Orchard ®^^'^  1.803         500           727,240 

Parsonsfleld l.flia        471           583  07>  i  f Jl         \^           '*^0,1.SJ> 

^"^ «6i_^_?13;^  1:2?    51J    ,s« 

■''""' "•*"  «-™  »2W23,o6o  ^.02,820  i^is  ^H;!;;^ 

RECAPITULATION'  BV  COUNTIES. 

Hancock....            38  129      S        s'iSflf  JH?^    ,^'J"        0.385  055 

Knox 32  80.?      fins?       in  oto  Tia  oV^i„    J*, (OD       30,911,202 

Piscataquis.... ::J4%12'  'I,S  '^,S;S  J  S  'JSI  1'I??S 

I'-^gadahoc 19,272      5,182      10  297  215  19,452      5  338      n'S?09 

?«"?«»•««* 32,3.33      8.098      12  128  878  32  027      8  788      vAfdfx 

Waldo 32.403      8.503        Q  ^77  «q4  o^  4r A      S'iv:       J-i|9-*l,0cs4 

Y*"''^ 62^    13£04       22:423:900  62:820    SS      SV-lvS 

^°*^ «48'«39  100,509  $235,978,170  ^^i;^  ^Sreg  ji^^";^ 

•Set  off  from  Saco  Feb.  •2S,  1883. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


Abenaquis  tbiukh,  Losses  of  .be,  334. 
Academies  established,  420. 

Acadia,  a  name  for  French  possessions  In  America  89 
Adventure  on  the  St.  George  Hlver,  307,  ' 

Agamentlcus,  Colony  at,  90. 
Alx-Ja-Chapelle,  Influence  of  the  treaty  of,  ;jr,0. 
Ambereuse,  Character  of  the  sagamore,  g.J.-,. 
Ambuscades,  Success  of  tlio  Indian,  182. 
Arabush,  Lieut.  Clarlc  leads  his  troops  into,  227. 
America  discovered  by  Northmen,  14. 

Ames.  Adelbert,  Gen.,  in  command  of  the  Maine  Twentieth  486 
Ancient  dominions  of  Maine,  200.  ' 

Andres,  Sir  Edinund,  his  success  with  the  Indians,  207;  his  general  UDDOim. 
lanty  and  subsequent  fate,  218.  B«nerai  nnpopop 

Anecdotes  of  Capt.  Lovett,  88;  of  Simon  the  '  !,'amore  (note)  208 
Annap.)lis,  Port  lloyal  changed  to,  .32.  '' 

Appledore,  The  calm  on  the  summit  of,  449 
ArgalCupt  Samuel,  visits  Mcnhegan,  74;  attacks  Port  Royal,  78 
Armlstlcv,  .tcasons  for  the  failure  of  the,  184 
Arnold,  Benedict,  his  suffering  march  to  Quebec,  381,  88-' 
Aroostook,  New  troubles  at,  4.33;  Swedish  colony  at,  438 ;"  attractions  of  467 
Aroostook  war,  Description  of,  430.  '•"acuons  oi,  407. 

Arrowsic,  Settlement  made  at.  89;  EngUsh  fi«d  upon  at,  203;  conference  at, 

Assacombult,  an  Indian  chief;  his  havoc  among  the  English.  271 
Ashburton  treaty,  Ratllication  of  the,  435.  6      ,    >±. 

Atrocities  and  cruelties,  273. 
Augusta,  Description  of,  412. 

Bagaduce,  a  trading  post  on  the  Penobscot,  94. 

Bagnall.  Walter,  his  deeds  and  fate,  98. 

Bangor.  Origin  of  the  name,  401 ;  Icsses  to,  from  the  British  soldierv  42a. 

Barrie,  Capt..  Insulting  words  of.  422.  ooiaierj,  428. 

Barhaba,  the.  Generous  conduct  of.  64;  influence  of,  178. 

IJath,  Its  Incorporation  and  importance,  390,  392. 

Batteries  nf  Maht  avtt\\at>^    AOn  Aon 

'-     •■T J  3   -«w — SUA. 

595 


606 


INDEX. 


Edttery,  the  Sixth  Mounted,    Exploits  and  sufferings  of,  483;  the  Seventh 

Mounted,  its  good  service,  401. 
Beal,  George  L.,  Colonel  of  Maine  Tenth,  474. 
Belcher,  Gov.  Jonathan,  Acts  and  character  of,  340. 
Belfast,  The  British  plunder,  421;  Its  appearance  from  the  river,  456. 
Bernard,  Sir  Francis,  unpopularity  of,  360. 

Berry,  Hiram  G.,  his  services  and  death,  470.  -  ^ 

Berwick,  Attack  upon,  by  Hopegood,  226;  incorporation  of,  288. 
Beard,  M.,  A  French  missionary,  72. 
Biiirne,  Adventures  of  the  Nortiimet,  tl 
Biencourt,  a  cruel  Frenchman,  YO. 
Bigot,  Vincent,  and  Jacques,  Catholic  missionaries,  171. 
Black  Point,  Settlement  at,  105;  battle  at,  204. 
Bomaseen,  a  sachem  of  the  Canibas  tribe,  243;  spesch  of,  257. 
Bonython,  M.,  warned  of  danger  by  an  Indian,  175. 
Boundaiy  of  the  Massachusetts  colony  defined,  126. 
Bourne,  Hon.  Edward  E.,  Remarks  of,  205, 
Bowdoin,  Dr.  Peter,  361. 

Bowdoin,  James,  elected  governor  of  Maine,  398;  ancestors  of,  403. 
Boxer,  The,  and  the  Enterprise,  417. 

Bradford,  Gov.,  his  account  of  Gilling's  attack  upon  Castine,  103. 
Breda,  Treaty  of,  concluded,  156. 
Breton,  Cape,  Dispute  concerning,  295. 
British  regulars  at  Concord,  their  sufferings,  372. 
British  vengeance  at  Falmouth,  372;  and  barbarity,  378,  390. 
British  expeditions  in  Maine,  421. 
British  claims  in  Maine,  431. 

Brooks,  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  His  speech,  425. 
Brown,  John,  Purchase  of,  122. 
Brunswick,  Conference  at,  251;  location  of,  289;  re-settlement  of,  839;  inco^ 

poration  of,  340;  important  convention  at,  424. 
Burgoyne's  surrender.  Consequences  of,  387. 
Burneffe,  Mons.,  leads  the  attack  on  the  garrison  at  Wells,  236. 
Burnet,  Gov.  William,  Appearance  and  character  of,  339. 
Burnside,  Gen.,  Testimony  of,  to  the  valor  of  Mains  soldiers,  485. 

Cabot,  John,  The  voyages  of,  21.         • 

Cabot,  Sebastian,  Explorations  of,  22,  23. 

Canada,  Preparations  in  England  for  the  conquest  of,  156;  failure  of  the  expe- 
dition against,  282. 

Canseau,  the  French  and  Indians  attack,  345. 

Cape  Breton,  Dispute  respecting,  205. 

Cape  Cod  discovered  by  Leif,  a  Northman,  14, 

Carglll,  Capt.  James,  Brutality  of,  350. 

Carr,  Sir  Robert,  '^'^aracter  of,  150. 

Cartwrighl,  George,  his  character,  and  his  plans  frustrated,  180. 

Casco,  Attack  upon,  and  siege  of  the  fort  at,  202,  263. 

Casco  Neck,  Sufferings  at,  189. 

Castine,  The  colony  at,  plundered,  94;  battle  at  the  port  of,  889;  the  British 
obtain  possessiou  of,  421 ;  gay  life  of  the  British  at,  423, 


INDEX. 


697 


Castine  the  younger  Outrageous  treatment  of,  260;  his  Journey  to  Canada, 
'^'o, -^79;  tribute  to  the  character  of,  287.  v>aua,u<t, 

Causes  of  sickness  among  troops  sent  South  491 

Cavalry,  First  Maine  Regiment  of,  479;  Second  Regiment  490 

Cemetery  Hill,  Terrible  contest  at,  494!  ' 

Chamberlain,  Go..  Joshua  L.,  his  interest  in  the  Swedish  colony  437  444-  i,« 
receives  the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee  491  ^'     ^'  ^'  ^"^ 

'''"1eaJhot2l'"^^^^"  ''''  ''''''  °^'  '"'-^  ''--  «^'  ^^^;  'etter  of,  1.52; 

Charlevoix,  Pfere  de.  Account  of,  815. 

Charter  of  the  Plymouth  Council  surrendered,  100 

Charter  granted  to  Bowdoin  College,  403. 

Chubb,  Capt.,  Consequences  of  the  conscious  guilt  of,  240. 

Chatham,  Lord,  Words  of,  in  Parliament,  3G9. 

cot  toit,  230;  his  expedition  to  the  Bay  of  Fundv    247-  tn  V..JJZ 
quoddy  Bay,  268;  his  cruelty,  269.  ^'         '  **"  P'vssama- 

Claims,  Conflicting,  of  France  and  England  123 

Cleaves,  George,  appointed  administrator  by  Gorges,  110-  netition  r>f  i^o 
Clergymen  of  Kittery,  288  '  P^""°^  °^>  153. 

CochrT;  ""ZttrZ'  ^T  '''^"  '^^^""'^  'y  *^^'-  -''i--  «-t  to,  474. 
vocnran.  capture  of,  and  escape,  318. 

Colonial  charter  annulled,  the  consequences,  214 

Concord,  Reception  of  British  troops  at,  371 

Conduct  of  Col.  Dungan's  commissioners,  215 

Confederacy,  The,  of  the  colonies,  its  object,  109 

Conflicts  between  the  Northmen  and  Americans,  18 

Conventions  held  respecting  separation  of  Maine  fr'om  Massachusetts,  398,  399, 

Converse,  Capt.,  Bravery  of,  287;  heroic  words  of,  238 

Cornwall,  Organization  of  the  county  of,  154 

Cortereal,  Caspar,  Villany  of,  24. 

Coulson,  Samuel,  Disiil<e  of  the  people  to,  374 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  the  New  Haven  colony  send  to  him  for  aid  110-  h,. 

ures,  132;  his  reasons  for  attacking  Nova  Sco«tm       '        '         '"''*'■ 

Bailing,  Jo:  n,  Leasehold  of,  215. 

^'^"'m'  rrre!;;tv!''°'';  a  Penobscot  settlement,  102;  attacks  De  La  Tour 
of  £a Xr,  m"  "^'  '"^"^™^"'  ''''  ""''^^^  -^  captures  th3^?oS 
Damariscotta  Islands,  Fisheries  at,  86. 
Danforth,  President,  his  difficulties,  209. 
Deane,  Rev.  Samuel,  his  opinion  of  Mowatt  (note),  380 
Defences  of  the  coast  of  Mai!!?,,  385. 


I 


698 


INDEX. 


De  Monts,  Patent  issued  to,  by  Heiu7  IV.,  31 ;  his  sufEciiiig  winter,  32. 

Depredations  and  cruelties,  266,  307. 

Differences  between  the  French  and  Englisli,  156. 

Dispute  between  tlie  general  court  and  tlxe  commissioners  of  Charles  the 
Second,  151. 

Dorr,  Ebenezer,  carries  important  despatches  (note),  868. 

Dow,  Col.  Neal,  Imprisonment  of,  477. 

Dudley,  Gov.,  his  interview  with  the  sagamores  at  Portland,  256;  his  over- 
bearing conduct,  292. 

"  Dummer  Treaty  "  signed,  332 ;  its  provisions  not  complied  with,  346. 

Dummer,  Gov.  William,  Cliaracter  of,  834. 

Dungan,  Col.  Thomas,  Character  of,  214. 

Dutch,  The,  instigate  the  savages  against  the  English,  130. 


Eastern  provinces.  The  desolation  of,  289. 

Eastport,  The  British  attack  and  take  possession  of,  421. 

Edgecombe,  Sir  Richard,  Grant  to,  106. 

Edifiantes  et  Curieuses  Lettres,  Extracts  from,  294  (note),  311. 

Emigration,  Causes  of,  106. 

England,  why  she  claimed  American  soil,  23. 

English,  Reasons  for  Indian  hatred  of  the,  43,  258,  2.59;  perfidy  of,  193. 

English,  Cruelties  of,  829;  desires  of,  relative  to  Canada,  281. 

English  government,  Aggressions  of  the,  365.  • 

Epenow,  an  Indian  chief.  Gorges  describes,  75 ;  his  escape,  78. 

Erik,  Bishop,  visits  Vineland,  19. 

Etiquette  of  the  I:  dians,  63. 

Explorations  by  a  party  at  Sagadahock,  57,  68. 

Extract  from  Coolidge  and  Mansfield,  298. 

Falmouth,  Conferences  at,  832,  341,  350  ;  resolute  measures  adopted  by  the 
citizens  of,  373,  ,374;  heroism  of  the  people,  379;  the  attack  unon  and 
destruction  of,  380. 

Farmington  on  the  Sandy  River,  304 ;  its  seminaries  of  learning,  405. 

Fessenden,  Francis,  Colonel  of  the  Twenty-Fifth  Maine,  487. 

Fifth  Regiment  Maine  Infantry,  Exploits  of,  471. 

Fillebrown,  James  S.,  Lieut.-Colonel  Maine  Tenth,  474. 

First  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry,  Maine  contributes  to,  491. 

Fort  St.  George,  Attempt  to  surpr'-^e,  300;  its  strength,  308;  meeting  of  com- 
missioners at,  331 ;  attaci;  upon,  358. 

Fort  Hill,  Capt.  Heath  destroys  a  village  at,  328. 

Fort  Richmond  (note),  294. 

France,  Discoveries  of,  in  America,  24;  obtains  Canada,  69. 

France,  New,  Name  of  French  possessions  in  North  America,  102. 

France  and  England  contend  for  the  colonies,  853. 

Frost,  Major,  Cruel  conduct  of,  201. 

Frye,  Jonathan,  Chaplain,  his  character  and  death,  324. 

Fryeburg,  Incorporation  of,  .385. 

Gardiner,  Origin  of  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of,  414. 


INDEX. 


599 


George's  Islands,  The,  53.  i  ■ 

General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  Oppressive  measures  of,  175;  fits  out  an 

expedition  against  Kennebec  Indians,  199;  retaliation  of.  356 
Gettysburg,  Contest  at,  493. 

Gilbert  Raleigh    Capt.,  48;  his  discoTeries,  66;  his  efforts  to  conciliate  the 
savages,  57. 

Girling,  Capt.,  Unsuccessful  attempt  of,  102. 

Godfrey,    Edward,   re-elected   governor   at  WeUs,  121;   his   character,   122- 
remonstrance  of,  124 ;  surrender  of,  126. 

Goldthwaite,  John,  commander  of  Veteran  Artillery,  492, 

Gorges  Sir  Ferdinando,  Character  of,  45 i  his  efforts  to' found  anew  colony 
72;  his  account  of  the  escape  of  Epenow,  78,  79;  new  patent  granted  to' 
its  extent,  85;  testimony  of,  100;  his  new  appointment,  101;  a  new 
grant  obtained  by,  105;  Charles  II.  confers  new  privileges  upon,  lOG-  he 
organizes  a  city,  108;  returns  to  England,  109;  his  death,  HI. 

Gorges,  Thomas,  his  character  and  position,  107;  letter  of,  112. 

Gorges,  William,  Character  of,  104. 

Gorges,  Ferdinando,  grandson  of  Sir  Ferdinando,  his  conduct,  145. 

GosnoJd,  Bartholomaw,  30.  * 

^    Governor  of  Canada  invites  a  council,  297. 

Government,  British,  The  alarm  of,  33. 

Government  of  the  Province  of  Maine,  209. 

Greenland  discovered,  13. 

Guercheville,  Madame  de,  Failure  of  the  enterprise  of,  76,  77. 

Gudrida,  a  Finnish  lady,  her  character,  16. 

Halifax  Fort,  its  location  and  strength,  354 

Hampden,  Losses  in  the  conflict  at,  421. 

Harmon,  John,  Valorous  conduct  of,  801. 

Harlow,  Capt.  Edward,  Villany  of,  74, 

Harpswell  located,  389;  incorporated,  358. 

Hill,  Lieut.,  Anecdote  of,  479. 

Hilton,  Col.,  attacks  Norridgewock,  270. 

Hitchcock,  Rev.  R.  D.,  Address  of,  to  Maine  volunteers,  469. 

Hocking,  or  Hoskins,  Illegal  act  of,  96. 

Hostages,  Indian,  Honor  of,  32G. 

Howard,  Colonel  O.  O.,  commands  the  Third  Regiment,  470    his  bravery  at 

Gettysburg,  494. 
Hudson,  Port,  Sickness,  wounds,  and  death  of  Maine  men  at,  486. 
Hunt,  Thomas,  Capt.,  Indians  captured  by,  83. 
Hutchinson,  Gov.  Thomas,  360;  character  of,  365. 

Iceland  discovered  by  Naddod,  13. 

Icelandic  geography,  20. 

Improvements  in  travelling  in  fifty  years,  427. 

Imprudence  of  the  English,  192. 

Incident  of  interest,  198;  at  Lovewell's  Pond,  322. 

Incorporation  of  towns,  302,  363,  364,  898,  399,  401,  409,  411,  412,  416,  420,  423, 


I 


600 


INDEX. 


Indians,  The,  described  by  Verrazano,  26 ;  as  seen  by  Weymouth,  35 ;  useless 
entreaties  of,  42 ;  testimony  of  Gorges  concerning,  48 ;  differing  opinions 
of  tlie  French  and  English  respecting,  68,  69;  different  treatment  of,  by 
the  two  nations,  93;  names  of  the  tribes  of,  in  Maine,  165, 166;  homes 
of,  170;  religious  opinions  of,  17:3;  talent  of,  174;  cruelties  perpetrated 
by,  176,  177,  179,  180;  honor  of,  185;  devices  of,  to  burn  English  vessels, 
238,239;  dignity  of,  244;  injustice  of  the  English  towards,  295 ;  weakness 
of,  301 ;  humanity  of,  305;  sufferings  of,  327;  character  of,  335;  renewed 
anxiety  of,  340. 

Indians  of  Maine,  Attitude  of,  towards  the  settlers,  384,  397;  extinction  of, 
425. 

Indian  depredations,  183,  187, 188,  190. 

Indians,  Penobscot,  Williamson's  testimony  concerning,  358 ;  their  reduction 
and  submission,  359. 

James  I.,  Grant  of  lands  by,  47. 

James  II.,  Duke  of  York,  Grants  to,  147;  character  of,  149. 
Jennings,  Abraham,  Monhegan  purchased  by,  73. 

Jocelyn,  Capt.  John,  Extract  from  the  journal  of,  163;  compelled  to  sur- 
render, 195. 


Kankamaugus,  a  friendly  Pennacook  sagamore,  213. 

Kennebec  River,  Serious  trouble  on  the,  95 ;  trading  post  on  the,  134. 

Kennebec  Indians  sue  for  peace,  277. 

Kimball,  Col.  William  K.,  Exploits  of,  475. 

King  Philip's  war,  its  woes,  258. 

King,  Gov.  William,  Sketch  of,  425. 

Kittery,  The  town  of,  its  extent,  110 ;  the  court  sits  at,  288. 

Kittery  Point,  Settlement  at,  105. 

Knowles,  Col.,  praiseworthy  act  in  Philadelphia,  471. 

Laconia,  Description  of,  90. 

La  Tour,  Charles  de  la.  111 ;  conflict  on  the  Penobscot,  114 ;  his  treachery, 

120 ;  suspicions  of,  132  ;  his  character  and  death,  134. 
La  Tour,  Madame,  Character  of,  116 ;  heroism  of,  118;  fate  of,  119. 
La  Tour,  Stephen,  confirmed  in  his  possessions  by  Cromwell,  134. 
Laws  respecting  preaching,  128 ;  humane,  of  Massachusetts,  139. 
Lee,  Robert  E.,  his  humiliation  and  surrender,  495. 
Leif,  Adventures  of,  14. 

Letter  of  the  Governor  of  Canada,  296 ;  of  Hon.  G.  A.  Hedlund,  443. 
Levett,  Capt.,  His  character  and  explorations,  88. 
Lewiston,  its  mercantile  and  literary  importance,  411. 
Lexington,  British  soldiers  sent  to,  366  ;  encounter  at,  368. 
Longfellow,  H.  W.,  The  ride  of  Paul  Revere,  by,  367. 
Loron,  an  Indian  sachem,  Remonstrance  of,  333;  speech  of,  342. 
Losses  by  Indian  wars  to  Maine,  286;  to  the  Indians,  287. 
Louisburg,  its  strength,  347;  its  capture,  348. 
Lovewell,  Capt.,  Exploits  of,  317,  319, 
Loyal,  Fort,  how  situated,  210;  Capt.  Davis's  report  of  the  attack  upon,  228. 


INDEX. 


601 


Luxury  of  the  settlers,  Example  of  the,  839.  1 1 

Lygonia,  A  new  patent  for  territory,  called,  93;  united  to  Massachusetts,  141. 

Lygouian  Plantation,  105. 

Machias,  Importance  of,  385;  attack  upon,  386;  incorporated,  398, 
Madawaska,  Doings  at,  431. 

Madockawando,  Speech  of,  185;  notice  of,  by  Drake  (note),  201;  his  commu- 
nication to  the  council  at  Boston,  220;  his  death,  251. 

Maiden  heroism,  180. 

Maine,  Beauty  of  the  coast  of,  41;  reasons  for  the  name,  107;  confusion  in. 
the  afiEairs  of,  158;  returns  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Massachusetts,  160; 
purchase  of  the  province  of,  208;  poverty  of  the  people  of,  253;  losses 
of  the  inhabitants,  335;  renewed  prosperity  of,  ;M0;  patriotism  in  the 
Revolution,  373;  her  lakes  and  mountains,  458-467  ;  her  sacrifices  in 
the  civil  war,  468-498;  exports  of,  501;  crops  of,  502;  various  indus- 
tries of,  503;  manufacturing  resources  of,  504. 

Maine,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  their  labors  and  hardships,  477. 

Maine  General  Hospital,  527. 

Maine  Regiments,  Character  of  the  men  of  the,  484. 

Manatahqua,  Wanton  murder  of,  99. 

Mcquoit,  Fort  erected  at,  137. 

March,  Major,  at  Damariscotta,  250;  his  loss  at  Casco,  264. 

Martha's  Vineyard,  Last  battle  at,  79. 

Massacre  at  Norridgewock,  313. 

Massachusetts  laws.  Value  of,  137. 

Mass^,  M.,  a  French  missionary,  72. 

Maverick,  Samuel,  Self-sufficiency  of,  151. 

McClellan,  Gen,  Geo.  B.,  his  tribute  to  the  Seventh  Regiment,  472. 

McGilvery,  Capt.  Freeman,  Testimony  of  Gen.  Augur  to  the  gallantry  of,  483. 

McKeen,  Rev.  Joseph,  D.D.,  404. 

Memorial  presented  to  Cromwell,  142. 

Meteorological  record  for  fifty  years  in  Maine,  501. 

Misunderstanding  between  Capt.  Gilbert  and  Sebenoa,  an  Indian  chief,  59-01  • 
fatal  effects  of,  at  Brunswick,  109.  ' 

Missionaries,  Catholic,  Faults  and  excellencies  of,  242 ;  intolerance  towards,  256. 

Mohawks,  Consequences  of  the  enlistment  of,  202. 

Monhegan,  Discovery  of,  by  Weymouth,  33;  quaint  description  of,  73.. 

Mortality  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  477. 

Moulton,  Capt.,  sent  to  Norridgewock;  his  humanity,  300. 

Mountains  of  Maine,  498,  499. 

Mount  Desert,  its  size  and  beauty,  71,  456. 

Mowatt,  Capt.,  Orders  received  by,  378;  his  conduct,  379. 

Mugg,  an  Indian  chieftain,  195;  he  negotiates  a  treaty,  196;  boastful  remark 
of,  198;  death  of,  204. 

Naeset,  name  given  to  Cape  Cod,  14 

Nahanada,  his  interview  with  Skitwarroes,  50;  his  fears,  51. 

Narragansett  Bay  entered  by  Verrazano,  26. 

Narrow  and  intolerant  reliffinu-  viowo  im 


602 


INDEX. 


Neal,  Walter,  Revengeful  conduct  of,  08. 

Neutrality  proposed  by  the  Canadians,  273, 

Newfoundland,  Discovery  of  the  banks  of,  44, 

New  Meadows  River,  Battle  at,  177. 

New  Orleans,  The  Twenty-Eighth  and  Twenty-Ninth  sent  to,  489. 

Newport,  R,  I,,  Ruins  of  a  Northmen  tower  at.  19. 

New  Somersetshire,  Settlements  in  province  of,  104. 

New  Sweden,  where  and  how  situated,  '  ".S;  houses  in,  439. 

Norridgewock,  Mission  station  at,  171;  attack-  upon,  by  Col,  Hilton,  270;  » 

new  expedition  against,  and  its  failure,  304;  description  of  the  hamlet 

of,  809;  fatal  attack  upon,  312,  313, 
Norridgewocks,  End  of  the  tribe  of,  314, 
North-eastern  boundary,  Dispute  respecting,  424 ;  settlement  of  the  question^ 

434. 
Northmen,  their  home  and  character,  13;  their  barbarity,  15. 
North  Yarmouth,  its  establishment  and  boundaries,  210 
Norumbega,  Limits  of,  28 ;  note,  31. 
Nova  Scotia  ceded  to  England,  134,  278. 
Nichols,  Col.  Richard,  his  character,  150. 

Oath  of  allegiance  to  England  required  of  the  settlers  on  the  Kennebec,  ISfi. 

OflBcial  report  upon  Swedish  immigration,  442. 

"  Ohio  Fever,"  The  consequences  of  the,  424, 

Old  Orchard,  Points  of  interest  at,  453,  454. 

Oldtown,  Westbrook's  official  account  of  the  expedition  against,  327. 

Original  patent  granted  to  New  Plymouth,  136. 

Outrageous  conduct  at  St,  George,  66. 

Outrages  perpetrated  by  Indians,  249,  250. 


Patents  granted  to  settlers  in  Maine,  290. 

Parrls,  Albion  K,  second  governor  of  Maine,  427, 

Peace  articles  signed  by  the  English  and  Dutch  courts,  133 ;  articles  signed 
between  Indians  and  the  English  at  Casco^  207 ;  treaty  of,  between  Eng- 
land and  America,  397. 

Pegwacket,  Encounter  near,  321. 

Pejepscot  settlement,  105;  limits  of  the  purchase,  212;  sale  and  boundaries 
of,  289. 

Pemaquid,  Importance  of,  91,  92,  105. 

Penacooks,  Petition  of  the,  212. 

Penobscot  Bay,  Pring's  account  of,  31 ;  Rosier's  description  of,  36;  conference 
at,  251. 

Perils  of  the  Ninth  Maine  Regiment,  473. 

Pestilence  along  the  coast  of  Maine,  84. 

Philip,  King,  his  haughty  answer  to  the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  186, 

Phips,  Sir  William,  Character  and  adventures  of,  222;  governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts, 240 ;  tribute  to  the  memory  of,  252, 

Phipsburg,  its  first  settlement,  54, 

Picturesque  attractions  of  Maine,  446, 

Pinchon*  Major  sent  to  the  Moha\vks»  202. 


INDEX. 


605 


Piracy,  Acts  of,  03.  I  • 

PIscataqua  Plantation,  105. 

Plymouth  Company,  its  character  and  object,  46. 

Plymouth  Council,  Provinces  of  the,  100. 

Plymouth  Rock,  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at,  85. 

Pond  Town  Plantation,  why  so  called,  363. 

Popham,  Sir  Francis,  engages  in  fisheries,  60 

Popham,  George,  Character  of,  48;  he  ascends  the  river  Sagadahock,  54-  cho. 
sen  governor  of  Sagadahock,  55 ;  his  death,  65.  ' 

Popham,  Lord  John,  his  rank  and  influence,  48. 

Population  of  Maine  and  of  New  England,  m. ' 

Portland,  Barbaric  display  at,  256;  beauty  of  the  city  of  446 

Port  Royal  found  impregnable,  and  the  siege  abandoned.  273 

Poutrincourt,  his  brutality,  70. 

Privateers,  French,  sweep  the  coast  of  Maine,  267 

Proclamation  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  146, 150 

Proclamation  issued  at  Boston,  299. 

Province  of  Maine,  its  condition,  105. 

Province  of  Nova  Scotia  conquered  by  the  English,  1;J3 

Putnam,  Major  Perley,  in  command  at  Eastport,  420.. 

Quakers,  Persecution  of  the,  138. 

Quebec,  Fruitless  attack  upon,  222,  Arnold  repulsed  in  lus  attack  upon,  383. 

Randolph,  Edward,  Bitter  aspersions  of,  209. 
Rangeley  Lake,  464. 

Rasle,  Sebastian    a  French  missionary  at  Norridgewock,  171;   his  journeys 

cap  ure,  305;  success  of,  m  civilizing  and  Christianizing  the  Indians 

P.  n,     r  ",•  '^'"'^  °^'  '»°""'"«»t  erected  to  the  memory  of,  325. 

itaziua,  Gen.,  military  commandant  of  Acadia,  102 
Eeadfleld,  Wesleyan  Seminary  at,  401. 
Record  of  Maine  regiments,  492. 

Regiment,  the  Eleventh,  Testimony  of  Gen.  Neagle,  to  the  heroism  of  the.  475^ 
t^TZ      %"  Thirteenth,  476;  labors  and  deaths  in  the  Twent^ 
p«„.      7   « '    ^^ '  «"ffe""g«  of  the  Thirty-First  in  the  wilderness,  492. 
Regiments,  Seventeenth,  Eighteenth,  and  Nineteenth,  486 
Religion,  Endeavors  to  establish  the  institutions  of  90 
Reprisals  by  the  savages,  300.  ' 

Retribution,  Indian,  66. 

Revere,  Paul,  frustrated  Gen.  Gage's  plans,  367. 
Rhode  Island  the  winter  abode  of  the  Northmen  16 
Richards,  Major,  sent  to  enlist  Mohawks  against'the  eastern  tribes,  202. 
Richardson,  Lieut.,  marches  into  ambush,  204. 
Richmond  Fort,  Indian  speeches  at,  352. 
Right  of  search  maintained,  419. 
Rines,  Capt.  Stover,  his  success  and  reverses,  482. 
Routes  of  travel,  447,  465. 
aioyal,  Port,  Colony  at,  32. 


«04 


INDEX. 


Royall,  William,  purchase  of,  210. 

Rut,  John,  Second  English  expedition  commanded  by,  28. 

Ryswiclt,  Treaty  of,  concluded,  251. 

Saco,  The  first  General  Court  held  at,  107. 

Sagadahock  Colony,  Inauguration  of,  55.  ^ 

Sagadahock  River,  Beauty  of  the,  54. 

Samoset,  an  Indian  chief  of  renown,  87. 

Savages,  Insolence  of  the,  129. 

Saxton,  Gen.,  selects  ofllcers  from  Maine  regiments  for  colored  soldiers. 

Scandinavia,  What  constituted,  13. 

Scandinavian  immigration,  436;  commissioners  upon,  437. 

Scarborough,  Colony  at,  105 ;  revival  of  the  settlement  at,  211. 

Scenes  of  picturesque  beauty  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  37. 

Schools  of  Maine,  617-526. 

Scott,  Gen.,  success  of  his  pacific  measures,  433. 

Screven,  Rev.  William,  his  trials  and  character,  211. 

Seat  of  government  removed  to  Augusta,  429. 

Sebago  Lake  and  its  scenery,  458. 

Separation  of  Maine  from  Massachusetts  decided,  425. 

Settlers  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  Character  of,  89 ;  fears  entertained  by  the,  352. 

Settlements  abandoned,  191. 

Sewall's  description  of  Pemaquod,  92. 

Seymour,  Rev.  Richard,  held  the  iirst  religious  service  in  Maine,  52. 

Sharpshooters,  A  company  of,  sent  from  Maine ;  their  record,  478. 

Shepiey,  Col.  George  F.,  of   the  Twelfth  Maine,  475;   his  position  at  Xew 

Orleans,  476. 
Sherbrook,  Gen.,  Order  of,  to  Capt.  Barrie,  422. 
Shirley  Fort  at  Augusta,  354. 
Shurte,  Mr.  Abraham,  endeavors  to  redress  Indian  wrongs,  181 ;  Indians  appeal 

to,  184. 
Skitwarroes,  the  captive  Indian,  returned,  49. 
Skowhegan,  State  quarries  at,  503. 
Smith,  Capt.  John,  his  cliaracter  and  objfects,  81. 
Southack,  Capt.  Cyprian,  Timely  arrival  of,  26l 
Spanish  fleet.  The,  capture  an  emigrant  ship,  49. 

Speech  of  an  Indian  cliief  to  Queen  Anne,  281 ;  of  Lord  phatham,  369. 
Spurling,  Lieut.-Col.,  Raid  of,  491. 

Squando,  a  friendly  Indian,  Cruel  treatment  of  his  child,  175. 
Squando,  Pretended  revelation  of,  186. 
Squantum,  Career  of,  40. 
Squidrayset,  an  Indian  warrior,  98. 
Stamp  Act,  Feeling  in  Falmouth  respecting,  374. 
Standish,  Capt.  Miles,  103. 
State  of  Maine,  Latitude  and  longitude  of,  498. 
State  Seal,  Description  of,  420. 
Stoddard,  Jolm,  Commissioner  to  the  Indians,  331. 
St.  George,  Inauguration  of,  64 ;  anarchy  and  distress  at,  65. 
St.  George,  Conference  at,  344. 


INDRX. 


605 


St.  George  River,  Fortress  at,  294;  attacked,  3'W.  : 

St.  John,  The  successful  attack  upon,  249. 

Sharkey,  William,  historian  of  the  Popham  Expedition,  66. 

Strategy,  Indian,  179. 

Subercase,  a  French  commander,  surrenders  Port  Itoyal.  278. 

Sufferings  of  the  Eighth  Maine,  472;  of  the  Sixteenth  Maine,  484. 

Sullivan,  Mr.,  Testimony  of,  128, 

Summer  resorts  in  Maine  of  great  beauty,  4-19-407. 

Swedes,  Welcome  to  the,  439;  prosperity  of,  444;  numbers  in  Maine,  444. 

Swett,  Capt.  Benjamin,  his  character  and  conduct,  204;  his  death,  205. 

Terms  of  peace  exacted  of  the  Indians,  286. 

Thebet,  Andre',  Journal  of,  29. 

Thirtieth  Maine,  Toils,  sufferings,  and  losses  of,  490. 

Thirty-Second  Maine,  Awful  carnage  of,  492. 

Thomas,  William  W.,  Sketch  of,  430;  liis  labors  in  Sweden,  38;  tribute  to,  446. 

Thomaston,  Fort  built  near,  294;  celebrity  of,  386. 

Thompson,  Col.  Samuel,  Reckless  act  of,  375. 

Thorflnn  visits  Vineland,  16;  his  fruitless  search  for  Thorhall,  18. 

Thorhall,  Explorations  of,  18. 

Thorstein,  his  expedition  to  Vineland,  16. 

Thorwald,  a  Northman,  visits  Narragansett  Bay,  14;  death  of,  15. 

Togus,  Home  for  disabled  soldiers  at,  498. 

Topsham  laid  out,  289. 

Tour,  de  la,  Charles,  111;  his  efforts  to  recover  his  dominions,  113. 

Tour,  de  la,  Claude,  attacks  an  English  trading-post,  97. 

Toxus,  Speech  of,  342, 

Trading-houses  establislied,  91,  332 ;  rules  for  conducting,  338. 

Treachery  of  Boston  merchants,  272. 

Twenty-Sixth  Regiment;  its  nine  months  of  toil,  488. 

Utrecht,  Peace  of,  285. 

Vetch,  Col.  Samuel,  Governor  of  Nova  Scotia,  278. 
Villany  of  Verrazano,  25;  his  end,  27. 

Vineland,  its  climate  and  productions,  14;  enthusiasm  of  Gudrida  concerning, 

10;  its  supposed  location,  19. 
Vines,  Capt.  Richaid,  Settlement  of  Saco  begun  by,  PO;  be  assails  Mr  Tucker 

110.  * 

Virginia,  Council  of,  its  powers,  47. 
Visit  of  Pemaquod  chiefs  to  Capt.  Weymouth,  40. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  the  Northmen,  14,  15,  17. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  Columbus,  21. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot,  22. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  Gasper  Cortereal,  24. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  Giovanni  Verrazano,  25. 
Voy^es  of  discovery  by  Estevan  Gomez,  27. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  John  Rut,  28. 


\ 


\t 


<iOO 


INUHX. 


Voyages  of  discovery  by  De  Moiits,  32. 
Voyages  of  discovery  by  George  Weymouth,  83. 

Wadsworth,  Gkneral,  Heroism  of,  391,  304. 

Wainwrlght,  John,  Conversation  of,  with  Indian  chiefs,  831. 

Waldo  patent.  The,  04. 

Waldron,  Major,  Suspicions  of,  200;  death  of,  210. 

Wampum,  a  currency  medium,  01. 

Wannerton,  his  revenge  upon  U'AuJncy,  115. 

War  and  its  ravages,  83;  between  England  and  Holland,  162;  second  Indian, 
175;  between  France  and  Ensland,  its  consequences,  220;  duration  ami 
sufferings  caused  by  the  Indian,  JJ51;  third  Indian,  200;  its  desolations, 
201,  202;  cause  of  a  new  Indian,  })45;  fifth  Indian,  commenced,  348;  of 
the  Revolution,  300;  of  1812,  consequences  of,  to  Maine,  418. 

Washington  protected  by  Maine  Twenty-Seventh,  489. 

Water-power  of  Maine,  505-615. 

Wells,  General  Court  convened  at,  121;  attack  on  the  garrison  at  233;  exciting 
event  at,  283,  284. 

Wells  Beach,  451. 

Westbrook,  Col.  Thomas,  Expedition  of,  802. 

Weymoutli,  Capt.,  Suspicions  of,  38;  treachery  of,  39;  effects  of  tlie  crimes  of, 
50. 

Wlieelwright,  Rev.  Jolin,  his  cliaracter  and  persecutions,  142;  letter  of,  143. 

Whitefield,  Rev.  George,  visits  Maine,  343. 

Wliittier,  Poem  of,  on  Norridgewock,  310, 457. 

William  Henry,  built  at  Pemaquid,  240;  efforts  to  destroy,  241,  245;  final  loss 
of,  240. 

William  and  Mary,  Charter  of,  252. 

Williamson,  Capt.  Jonathan,  Capture  of,  849. 

Williamson,  Hon.  William  D.,  Sketch  of,  425. 

Winslow,  Capt.  Josiah,  Attack  upon,  807. 

Winter  Harbor,  Capt.  Vines  spends  a  winter  at,  85;  attack  and  defence  of,  27tt. 

Winthrop,  Gen.  John,  Unsuccessful  efforts  of,  223. 

Wiswall,  Rev.  Mr.,  Unpatriotic  charn,cter  of,  376. 

Wivarna,  Letter  of  the  sachem,  .334. 


York,  Awful  carnage  at,  236. 
Yorkshire,  Connty  of,  127. 


SUPPLEMENTARY   INDEX. 


NEW  MATKKIAL. 


Abokicinai.  TfunKB,  M(l;  Legends  of,  536. 

Aoiulemios,  Kndowed  with  giants  of  land,  654. 

Agriculluio,  60i)-71. 

Appletou,  Gen.  James,  first  proposes  prohibition  of  liquor  traffic,  611. 

Area  of  Maine,  507. 

Canadians,  French,  Increasing  element  of  population,  5.34. 

Chamberliiiii,  Oen.  Joshua  L.,  appointed  to  maintain  order,  504. 

Church,  Lutlieran.  rm,  510;  Homiin  Catholic,  533,  .^45, 552;  Episcopal,  54fi,  .546, 

652;    Puritan,    ultimately  dominant  in  Maine,  547;  naptist,  549,  5J50; 

Quaker,  549,  552;    Metliodist,  54'.).  .ViO,  554;  Universalist,  549,  5.")0,  5.54; 

Congiegational,  5.)(),  552,  .■).)4;    Presbyterian,  546,  550,  552;  Shaker,  .V)2. 
Climate  of  Maine,  567. 
Colleges,  554. 
"  Count  out,"  The,  502-06. 
Crime,  increase  of,   r<argely  due   to  emigration    of  orderly  element,  5.!9; 

proliflc  source  in  drinking  habits  of  people,  540. 

Denominations,  religious,  in  Maine,  552. 

Dow,  Neal,  procures  enactment  of  prohibitory  law,  542;  purchases  liquors 

for  city  agency  of  Portland,  542;  censured  for  ordering  militia  to  fire 

on  anti-liquor  law  mob,  543. 
Drinking  cusroms.  Evils  of,  54C 

Emigration  of  native  population,  634. 

Fisheries,  571,  672. 
Fish  and  game,  500. 
Forest  products,  668,  660. 

Garcelon,  Administration  of  Qovernor,  662. 

Gorges,  Sir  Ferdinando,  grant  purchased  by  Massachusetts,  539 ;  patron  of 
the  church,  545. 

Hubbard,  Governor,  signs  prohibtory  law,  642. 
Illiteracy,  Small  percentage  of,  556. 
Institut  ons,  Humane  and  reformatory,  539. 
Irish  immigrants,  533. 

Jordan,  Hev.  Robert,  646. 

:.>abor,  573,  573. 

Lelau^'s  "  Algonquin  Legends  of  Now  England,"  686. 

Libraries,  public,  558, 650. 

Liquor  traffic.  Restraint  of  by  law,  541. 

607 


I 


008 


SUPPLEMENTARY  INDEX. 


Maine.  Population  of,  633;  inoreaao  of  unmo.  MB;  Aboriginai  tribe,  of.  AM, 
early  aottlera  of,  588;  law  RKaiust  liquortraflio,f>4l ;  not  settled  tlirouKh 
reliRious  impulBea,  545;  LeBlslature  of,  fi»IO;  politics  of,  5(10;  Oovernora 
of,  66{).  5«n,  5(W;  temperature  and  olimate  of.  687;  area,  567;  water 
power,  507;  forest  products  of.  5i)8;  flsli  and  Raino  of,  BdJ)  aRriculture, 
of,  6fl»»,  671;  fl8l)erie8  of,  571;  ship  buildinRof,  572;  quanios  of,  573; 
manufactures  of,  674;  labor,  576;  railroads  of,  570-78;  pleasure  travel 
in,  578.  579. 

Manufactures,  674,  ')73. 

Massachusetts,  introduces  orderly  government,  63S;  purchases  the  territory 
of  QorKes'  lieii-s,  539;  Puritans  of.  547;  theocracy  of,  647;  schools 
introduced  by,  553. 

Meeting  house,  Duildinx  «',  648,  640. 

Minister  of  tlio  town,  648;  Kev.  James  Hooer  elected.  640;  Parson  Church. 
652. 

Ministerial  tax,  Molement   to  abolish,  64&-51;    >ot    of  1800,  650;  of  1811, 

651 ;  tax  aboli  'led  by  constitution  o£  Maine,  .820,  552. 
Newspapers,  55ft-.58. 
Order,  The  Btanding,  547,  650,  551,  652. 
Parties.  Political,  560,  501. 
Penobscot  tribe,  Number  of,  537. 

Plnisted,  Gen.  Harris  M.,  elected  Governor  by  plurality  vote,  566. 
Pleasure  travel,  578. 

Powers,  division  of  legislative,  executive  and  judicial,  660. 
Press,  Newspaper,  550,  558. 
Prohibition  of  liquor  traffic,  origin  of,  641 ;  declared  constitutional,  641;  first 

law  signed  by  Gov.  Hubbard,  642;  evasions  and  amendments  of,  542; 

repealed,  544;   re-enacted  iaJ8,  514;  effects  of  the  law  during  thirty 

years,  644,  5-15. 
Puritans  set  up  schools  and  churches,  647;  their  clergy,  647. 
Quarries,  573.  » 

Railroads,  676-78. 

Kiot,  anti-liquor  law  in  Portland,  542. 
Bobbins,  John,  shot  in  Portland  riot;  verdict  of  ooronor's  jury  on  shooting 

of,  544;  killing  of  made  part"  capital,  544. 

Schools,  introduced  by  Massachusetts,  553;  early  taught  by  masters.  553; 

theological,  554;  district  system  of,  554;  normal,  555;  free  high,  5,-)5; 

houses,   555;   supervision   of,  555;   compulsory  attendance  at,  556; 

parochial,  556. 
Shipbuilding,  572. 
Swedish  immigration.  534. 

Temperance  reform,  540;  organization  of,  641. 
Temperature  of  Maine,  567. 

Waldo,  Samuel,  introduces  German  colony,  633,  546. 
Washingtonian  movement,  540. 
Water  power  of  Maine,  567. 


ribea  of,  fi80, 
tied  tlirouKb 
[);  Oovoruora 
,  667;  water 
aKiicultuio, 
rioH  of,  573; 
;a8uro  tiavol 


the  territory 
47;   sobooU 


son  Church, 
50;  of  1811, 


1.  641 ;  flrat 
its  of,  642; 
ring  thirty 


u  shooting 

.Hters,  653; 
high,  555; 
e  at,  556; 


